Legacy of Darkness: Book 1 - Darkness Ascendant
by J.P. Endymion
Summary: Darth Nox, newly appointed member of the Dark Council, embarks on a mission to achieve the ultimate freedom. But even as he reshapes the galaxy, his enemies draw ever closer to the truth, and over it all lurks a mysterious, eldritch power whose motives are as unknowable as they are perilous...
1. Chapter 1: Anointed

**Chapter 1: Anointed**

Xalek climbed the stairway, steadily and confidently. His feelings of pride, elation, and resolve flooded his mind and heart, strengthening him. His master had just become a member of the Dark Council, now known only as Darth Nox. The name, he knew, reflected his master better than the previous title: Lord Kallig. His master was so much more than a mere heir of some long-dead Sith. He was the Dark Side incarnate. He was power and hatred and deception. He was darkness given form. Xalek felt more bloodthirsty, more hungry for action than ever. Now was their time. Now he and his Master would seize power, and rule as the Lords of the Sith they had been born to be.

His master had summoned him almost immediately upon returning to his luxury apartment suite in Kaas City. The suite took up an entire 3 floors of one of the Imperial Capital World's tallest skyscrapers. It had not been cheap. But price was no object to a Lord of the Sith, not within the Empire at least. No doubt becoming a member of the Dark Council would only increase the benefits they would have access to. Not that Xalek really cared, as long as he had plenty of challenging opponents to fight and tasks to accomplish. He was a warrior, to him luxuries were not much more than a distraction. But even he wouldn't deny that luxuries were symbols of power, which is why his master suffered many luxuries.

He reached the top of the stair, where he saw his master's oldest and most faithful companion, the Dashade Shadow Killer, Khem Vaal. The Dashade was the picture of malevolent strength. His skin was a deep red, the color of dried blood. White designs, tattooed onto his chest spoke of his essence as a Shadow Killer. Xalek had learned to interpret Dashade tattoos in his first few weeks as his master's apprentice, believing the creature to be a possible threat to himself and possibly his master. "A mournful and reflective creature" the lines read. "Full of hunger and bound by honor". The Dashade said nothing, only followed Xalek with his glaring orange/red eyes as the Sith apprentice turned the corner and headed up the much shorter stairway to his masters personal chambers.

The door hissed open as he entered, and he felt the rush of the Dark Side whoosh out of the portal like a stiff wind on a cold night. He was instantly filled with a variety of passions; Loyalty, bloodlust, pride, and hatred. His Master's presence had always been a supernatural experience to him. He had never felt anything like it in his life. He still remembered his first time feeling it on Korriban. It had awed him to his core. Never before had simply being in the presence of a being inspired him to such great heights of passion. His master didn't have this affect on just him either. In discussions with other members of his Master's inner circle, he'd learned that they all felt the effects of his Master's great presence in the Force.

Andronikos claimed his reflexes were faster when fighting alongside their lord, making his shots come faster and hit their targets more often and more accurately. Ashara, his master's other "apprentice", claimed her connection to Force changed somehow, allowing her to see and do things she was incapable of by herself. Khem Vaal hadn't said much about his experiences, then again the monster rarely said anything. What he had said was that fighting alongside their master felt like battling at the side of Tulak Hord once more. As for Xalek, being in the presence of his master brought his passions to a peak. It supercharged his connection to the Dark Side and made him immeasurably stronger. Alone he was powerful yes, but under the effects of his master's presence he _knew_ he could slay entire armies, toss Rancors like stones, and bring down enemies normally far beyond his ken.

He'd tasted the effects for himself many times on the battlefield. With his strength and fortitude amplified by the Dark Side, and his connection to the Dark Side amplified by his Master's mere presence, he had taken on enemies of galactic renown. Republic heroes, Sith Lords, Darth's, Jedi of every rank...In his Master's presence he was unstoppable. He realized, suddenly, that he'd been standing there at the entrance to his Master's chambers for a good 2 minutes. Basking in the strength of the Dark Side. He felt foolish, but only a little. After all, could he possibly be faulted for savoring the taste of true power? That is what a true Sith lives for, he thought.

Grabbing a hold of his composure, he continued into the chamber that served as his Master's office, quarters, lounge, and trophy room. He'd only been in here twice before, and never for long. He took the chance to briefly analyze the massive room. There was a large circular arrangement of couches surrounding a small table, also circular. A short couch sat facing the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Kaas city landscape. 3D models of planets his master had dominated over the years stood hovering above anti-grav pedestals; Alderaan, Hoth, Taris, Nar Shadda, Corellia, and others Xalek did not know. Instead of Imperial banners, large video screens dominated the walls. Each screen depicted short and muted snippets of the end of fights his Master had fought in the past, some before his time. Old enemies his master had squashed like insects. There was Darth Revan, Darth Angral, A possessed prophet of Vodal Kressh, General Ortoll, Darth Zash, and so many others. The vid-droids had recorded most of his Master's most prominent fights in excruciating detail.

His eyes strayed to one screen, directly above the doorway leading to the rear-most rooms of his Master's living space. On it he saw his master, portrayed in all his glory, surrounded by a swirling vortex of Dark Side energy while an old Sith hurled Force attacks at the maelstrom that was shrouding Xalek's master. His passions swelled when he saw a dark violet light break through the black storm surrounding his lord. He remembered standing just outside the Dark Council chambers while his Master dueled Thanaton, and remembered feeling the great shift in the Dark Side that had happened at this moment in time that he was now seeing, for the first time with his own eyes. He watched riveted, as the soon-to-be Darth Nox on screen suppressed the vortex of dark energy into himself, focusing it and dispersing it.

With a gesture of derision at his opponent, his master reached out a hand and flung Darth Thanaton into the wall of the Dark Council chamber, pinning him there as Darth Nox choked him with the force. Then Nox released Thanaton and let the Sith pick himself up off the floor, crossing his arms and shaking his head, as if watching a child throw a temper tantrum. Thanaton activated his lightsaber and attacked, but Xalek's master reached out with the Force. Xalek watched in admiration, as Darth Nox forced Thanton to his knees, and Xalek looked on as his master utterly humiliated his opponent, forcing him to bow prostrate before him. By the time Darth Marr finally put the old Sith out of his misery, the creature had no dignity left. He died broken and humiliated.

Snapped out of his reverie by a sudden disturbance in the Dark Side, Xalek's eyes and attention snapped to the door under the screen. His master's presence emanated from the room behind that door: Darth Nox's forge. His master had called him through the Force. Afraid to have kept his master waiting longer than he should have, he briskly walked towards the door, barely registering it hissing open.

There his master stood. An enigma in the Dark Side. Darkness surrounded him in the Force. The closer you got to Nox, the deeper and stronger the darkness became. Xalek fed on it like a Demakian swamp parasite feeding on Nexu blood. He bowed to one knee and said the word that reverberated in his mind like the echo of a ringing gong.

"Master."

"Xalek..." Darth Nox's voice was low and calm, the darkness surrounding him in the Force thick and inky, but as calm and still as the polar night on Hoth. "I hope you...enjoyed your entrance. I sensed you were fascinated by what you saw and felt." Xalek saw no reason to lie.

"Yes Master."

"Good..." Came the slow and savory reply. Nox was well aware of his apprentices emotions regarding him, and his enjoyment of the young Kaleesh's admiration and jealousy was palpable.

"I have a task for you, my apprentice." The slow and methodical lilt to his lord's voice didn't distract Xalek from the implications of the sentence.

"I am ready master. What is your will?" His master turned, and Xalek saw the black, eyeless holes of his master's skull-like helm. The helm of his lord's long-dead ancestor. They fixed on him and despite himself, Xalek felt a slight shiver travel up his spine. He banished it immediately. His master would not appreciate weakness in him. So neither would he.

"There are several artifacts that are of the highest interest to me. My predecessor saw fit to ignore them, believing them to be unworthy of pursuing." Darth Nox paused to study his apprentice, sensing the Kaleesh's expectation and impatience. He continued. "I will have you pursue the reclamation of these artifacts with the utmost secrecy. No-one can know what it is I have sent you for. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my master." Xalek spoke, not even raising his head. "Your secrets will go with me to my grave."

Darth Nox smiled. He knew Xalek wasn't lying. Both the Force and his own knowledge of the Kaleesh's moral code told him so. "I expect nothing less!" He commanded. "You are now my Left Hand, Xalek. By the power vested in my by the Dark Side of the Force, I now pronounce you, Lord of the Sith! Do not disappoint me..."

"Master. I am honored." Xalek's calm and nearly monotone response would have hidden his true feelings, if not for Nox's ability to see them as clearly as if they were his own.

"Then honor me in return." Nox said in a smiling tone. "I will dispatch you to be my secret enforcer and assassin. You will safeguard my secrets from the galaxy, and protect my interests from those who would seek to claim or destroy them."

"My life for your secrecy, master." Xalek said.

"Indeed..." Darth Nox mused.

Nox turned from Xalek, looking back over the lightsaber forge in the center of the room. His gaze fixed on the door at the back of the room, opposite the door Xalek had entered. "You will travel to Daradek-8 in the ship in hanger 19 of Kaas Spaceport. There is where your search will begin. I will contact you with details once you reach the planet." He paused, reflecting on the excitement building in his apprentice. "Go." He spoke firmly. "Use your new authority as a Lord of the Sith to enforce my will, and protect my secrets.. Do not fail me, apprentice." The reply came swiftly and confidently:

"I will not, my master." Xalek rose from the floor and turned, leaving by way of the same door through which he had entered.

Darth Nox stared emptily at the opposite door for a few minutes. The light from the pulsating forge and the many datacrons and holocrons hovering over anti-grav display pedastals reflecting eerily off of his purple/white armor and robes. Flashes of color, rippling over him like the rays of light refracted by an ocean. Red, purple, orange, green, blue...waving and moving up and down the walls, ceiling, and floor. The whole room was bathed in light...and power. The sheer amount of Force energy from the datacrons, holocrons, and the forge in front of him helped him think, helped him clear his mind and focus on the Force.

Summoning his emotions, he used their power to reach deep into the force. Then when he was just about to let himself slip into the Force and become one with his passion, he reached out with his will. His hardened and disciplined mind grabbed hold of his passion like a Force Choke. He summoned all the focus he could muster and channeled the raw power of his emotions into a single, focused blade-edge of Force energy. He felt the veil of the Force rip, split apart by the ruthlessly formed combination of Light and Dark energy. Discipline and Power, Focus and Passion. Each one all but useless without the other.

He saw it. He saw it all. The planet Makeb tearing apart, exploding like a bomb. He saw the rise of the Dread Masters, their descent into madness, and their final fate. He saw the return of Revan, now a mere shell driven by hatred and fear. He saw Vitiate. His greatest enemy. The only one who truly stood in his way of becoming the god he was destined to be. He saw Ziost devoured. Turned into a barren wasteland of grey dust and rock, with only titanic, twisted monstrosities left to roam the wastes. He saw the Eternal Throne, an Empire ruled by fear. Faces, names, places...none of them he recognized. Then he saw it. The other path. He turned and walked down it, feeling dark eyes suddenly lock onto him. Fear gripped him, but he grabbed hold of it and focused it through the Light side, bending both sides of the force to his will. His focused fear repelled the dark voices, forcing them to be silent and back off. He reached a great door. Ancient in design, carved on it was a face as far from human as could physically be possible. The face of something so alien and foreign to Darth Nox's ability to process information, that he perceived what he was looking at was merely his minds best interpretation of what he was truly standing in the presence of.

He looked at the face on the door and suddenly it looked back. His fear nearly overwhelmed him as the Dark Side itself stared back at him. He was looking into the face of death. "Do you have what it takes?" The voice, everywhere and nowhere at once, boomed in the void, echoing seemingly off of nothing. "Will you sacrifice what is required?"

"I will fulfill my destiny!" He shouted, staring straight back into the eyes of the Dark Side. "I will become a god!"

"Then you must die." The voice declared and the eyes shone with power. His defenses started to collapse and he heard the voices again.

"Die, die, die, die!" they whispered, growing louder every second.

 **"Die, die, die. die!"** Nox covered his ears but the voices only became louder.

 **"DIE DIE DIE DIE!"** Nox screamed.

He broke out of his vision. He was on his hands and knees in front of the forge. He could no longer feel the oppressive power of the Dark Side over him. He had gone deeper than the Dark Side allowed. He had walked the forbidden path and been repelled. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. He would _not be denied!_ He had not risen to the Dark Council from slavery, overcome racism, rivalry, Jedi and Republic interference, and a deck wholly stacked against him to be turned aside. He had not risked his own sanity, pushing his body and his connection to the Force well past the limits pre-determined by his genetics to be denied what he _knew_ was his rightful destiny.

Through the power of Light and Darkness he had pierced the veil and walked the forbidden path, and he would use that power to break all barriers that arose against him. No obstacle would stop him. By learning the Force Walk he had gained more power than the body he was born with would have allowed. By harnessing the power of the Light Side of the Force to serve as a focal lens for his immense, but defuse and destructive power in the Dark Side he had broken down the walls that the Force built to keep the unworthy away from the power of a god. He would succeed. There was no question. His very name, given to him by his birth mother, spoke of his destiny. Teridax. The ancient god of Nightmares and Darkness. He would live up to that name. He would become his namesake. It was...inevitable.

* * *

Nox walked casually down the halls of the Citadel, on his way back to his office. He'd just come from putting down a slave revolt in the jungles outside the city, a favor he owed to Lord Nalish. As a Dark Council member he didn't have to repay the debt, he could have simply ordered Lord Nalish to absolve him of responsibility. But truth be told it had felt good to get out of his office and do _something_. The slaves had been no challenge of course, but of more interest was the group of Republic Special Forces and SIS commandos he had discovered hiding in a cave near a waterfall, not far from the slave camp. After infiltrating their camp, killing the commanding officer and then proceeding to butcher as many of them as he could before they escaped, he had contacted the appropriate authorities to notify them of the situation. He had also sent a brief message to Darth Marr outlining his discovery. As the Councilor of the Sphere of Defense of the Empire, Marr deserved to be personally notified, if only briefly, of such an occurrence.

Nox couldn't help but question how the intruders had gotten past the planetary defenses. He briefly wondered if they might be remnants from the Republic's earlier attack on Dromund Kaas, the attack that had seemingly silenced the Emperor. Nox knew better than to assume Vitiate was dead. Whatever the Jedi believed their attack had accomplished, Nox knew that Vitiate hadn't cheated death only to meet it at the hands of mere mortals. The Emperor was too cunning, too knowledgeable, too powerful. Even in the worst case scenario the Emperor was merely weakened to the point where he had to retreat from the known galaxy and recover his strength. Vitiate would return, and when he did he would no doubt retaliate against the Jedi who had dared attack him so boldly. Nox smiled. No doubt such a retaliation would keep Vitiate so busy, so pre-occupied with rage and hatred and vengeance that he wouldn't even notice Nox's manipulations. Vitiate's back would be exposed, and Nox intended to stab it.

Turning a corner he felt a shift in the Force, up ahead. The Light Side was becoming clearer and stronger as he neared his office. Then he felt her presence in the Force. Smiling, he quickened his pace. It had been too long. Rounding the last corner and looking past the doorway into his office, he saw her. Quite possibly the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, barring a few Twi'Lek and Imperial women he'd met on his travels. Ashara Zavros. She seemed even more lovely than the last time he saw her... Beautiful as she was she had faults, of that Nox was keenly aware. Her pride and naivety were what made her so easy to manipulate, which was why she was still with him, still serving him. Well, he thought, that and...other reasons. Although her outer beauty was what appealed to him the most, her naive view of the galaxy, the Force, the Sith, and the Jedi often made her irresistibly adorable.

She was leaning back in his chair, her armored boots resting casually on his desk. She was inspecting her nails despite the fact that she was wearing gloves and that they both knew she had sensed his presence since he'd started down the hallway to his office. She was feeling playful. Nox stopped in the doorway and leaned on it, crossing his arms in front of him and inspected the view. Although the outfit she wore wasn't skimpy in the slightest, it was a skintight fabric lined with cortosis/beskar alloy fibers, and clung to her form leaving almost nothing to Nox's imagination. In combat it provided her with decent protection against hard blows, dispersed the heat energy of a blaster shot, and even provided limited protection against lightsabers. The outfit provided her with extraordinary protection in a variety of combat situations, but without limiting her mobility. Vital areas such as her heart, shoulders, hips, shins, and feet were protected by pure cortosis, much more durable and bulkier, repelling direct lightsaber strikes almost entirely. But here, in relative safety, it was clear that her armor provided other benefits as well, such as provoking distracting lines of thought in male onlookers. But none of these aspects of her armor disguised or shrouded her impressive form. Instead they only accented it.

"So..." he finally spoke, watching her eyes rise to meet his. He could see the mischievous twinkle in them. Behind his helm, a grin split his face. "Lord Zavros, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I came to deliver my report in person." She said, the smile on her face matched only by the one in her eyes. "I've completed my assignment in the Veltosh system."

"You were successful then?" Nox asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course!" She replied, getting up from the desk and sauntering casually, seductively towards him. "You know from firsthand experience just how persuasive I can be." She was feeling really playful. He could feel the lust emanating from her through the Force. It corrupted her already weak lightside presence, giving it a delicious, spicy twist. He wasn't exactly immune either. He could feel his own passions rising like a tide. They fed off of each other's reciprocated emotions, creating a loop of emotion that only intensified as it passed between them through their Force bond.

"I'm glad I do. I always want to be kept abreast of the development of your...capabilities." She drew closer to him

"In that case," she said "I should show you some of my newer techniques. I've learned some new things since our last session." He couldn't resist, not when she was like this. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her body closer to his, pressing it against him. Her eyes widened in surprise. When their faces were close enough she whispered "Are you sure you should do that now? The place might be bugged, or someone might see us!" Nox put her at ease

"I had it swept for bugs just this morning." he whispered back "And there's no-one coming. I can sense it." She relaxed and they embraced. They both knew better than to go too far until they were truly alone, but she needed his touch, and he had to admit he had missed her. He oddly felt some small part of his emotions change. Just the sensation of feeling her body against his, her breath on his neck, her arms around him, satisfied some small part of him. Made him feel...at home.

He released her and they reluctantly parted contact. He gazed into her eyes for a moment. She gazed back into the dark, one-way lenses that made the eye sockets of his helm look eerily empty, and when he didn't say anything after a few seconds she put one hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side. "What?" The question came out with a teasing note to it. Yep, she was still playing.

"I...its...its nothing." He sighed. "I just missed you so much." His tone was serious and held no note of deception. Her playful smile changed to a happy one.

"I missed you too." She said in a soft voice. Nox felt lost in the moment for a minute, then regained some control of himself.

"Your report?"

"On your desk." She said, sad the moment had to end.

"Excellent." He replied. "I've left some assignments on your desk as well. Paperwork mostly. Once I've completed my review of your report I'll be sending you more forms regarding the relaying of orders to commence artifact excavation in the Veltosh system." She stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Paperwork." She complained. "Master you know how much I hate paperwork!"

"I know." Was his response "But you're my Right Hand, and I can't take care of this mountain of forms, documents, and orders by myself." Ashara sighed in resignation.

"I guess I'd better get started." She turned and walked out the doorway and down the hall. Nox watched her go, savoring the view until she turned the corner. Then he regained his composure and went to sit at his desk.

"Paperwork." He grumbled. "So much paperwork."

* * *

Lord Demise sat in the captains chair of his Fury. In front of him and to his left, his wife Vette was operating the controls of the ship, taking them to their next destination. He watched her lekku bob and sway as her eyes flew across the ships controls, dragging her head with them, taking in data and adjusting things accordingly. She was getting to be a good pilot, almost as good as Quinn had been before Demise had cut him down for treason. The thought of the betrayal made him clench his fist on the armrest. Quinn had been so loyal, so efficient, so obedient. And yet he had wasted his life with a pointless and doomed effort at treachery. He should have known better than to believe he could actually defeat Demise in combat. Demise would have thought that after all Quinn had seen him do, after all the challenges he'd witnessed his lord overcome, that he would know better than to try and kill him. Yet here they were. Quinn was long gone, denied even a proper imperial burial on Demise's order. Traitors did not deserve such an honor.

The ship lapsed out of hyperspace and the shape of the planet Keldas loomed in front of the ship. "Taking us into a descent vector." Chirped Vette's cheery voice as they began their approach. "Landing clearance codes sent...landing clearance acquired. We're going in." She angled the ship towards the planet. Demise watched as the flames began to form around the cockpits viewing port.

"Watch your descent vector." He cautioned in a firm, calm voice. "You're coming in a little too steep."

"I know, I know. working on it!" She said. Always eager, he thought. Sometimes her immaturity amused him, and her childlike optimism hardly ever failed to lighten a grim situation. But she was no child, the many nights they'd spent together was more than proof of that. Under that petite, childlike exterior was a woman of unending optimism and intense passion. Whenever she did something; from piloting a ship, to slicing a computer, to fighting on the battlefield, to loving someone, she gave it everything she had. Like a true warrior.

An alarm beeped and Vette hurriedly typed in a series of commands before grabbing the control stick and pulling up hard. The ship shuddered as its vector changed, entering a more softly inclined path of descent. Vette sighed in relief and the flames around the viewport subsided. Demise spoke gently. "Next time you might want to pay closer attention to the calculations the computer makes. It tells you at what point in your orbit to start the approach." She turned to him and smiled

"Now where's the fun in that?" Demise sighed and leaned back into his chair. He shook his head chuckling.

"What am I going to do with you?" Her grin got bigger.

"I've got a few good ideas." She winked at him.

"Let's focus on landing the ship in one piece." He said trying to direct her attention back to the controls.

"Alright! Back to Sith business! Grrrrrr!" She growled mockingly. Behind his skull-like helm a smile split the Dark Lord's face. She was always as quick with a quip or a sarcastic comment as she was with those twin blasters on her hips. If only she was just as quick to return her focus to the task at hand.

The landing went without further incident, and Demise exited the ship into the hanger with Vette in tow. He was here on the Emperor's orders, to eliminate a group of Jedi on the planet. He didn't know what they'd done to merit his master's attention let alone a death sentence, but then again he didn't really care. He'd simply enjoy tearing their base apart and defeating them all in lightsaber combat. As he exited the spaceport he drew the hood of his black robes over his helm. To anyone standing more than twenty meters away, he realized, he must look like a figure out of a nightmare. A titan of a humanoid, seven feet tall with two-foot shoulders, a grey skull for a face, cloaked under a shadowy hood. A bright silver-white solid ribcage, made not of bone but of 96% pure beskar armor, covered in black robes with twin, dark violet lines running from the edge of his hood to the end of his cloak. Hidden behind the black, one-way lenses of his helm's eyes sockets, his mechanical eyes analyzed the environment around him. Keldas was a desert planet, not unlike Tattoine. Windswept and barren of nearly all life, save for a few sparse settlements similar to the one they were in now, it was the perfect place to hunt. There was nowhere to run. There was nowhere to hide. Those Jedi were doomed.

* * *

Darth Nox woke with a start, gasping for air and drowned in cold sweats. He quickly looked beside him to see Ashara sleeping peacefully, a smile on her face. He calmed down and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, gazing out at the dark, rainy night outside. He'd been dreaming about the door again. Ever since he'd had that vision it had haunted him. He ran his fingers over his head, feeling his horns scrape against his palm. The feeling reassured him.

He stood to his feet and walked over to the loveseat by the windows. The vid-screens were all black and silent. They watched him like the composite eyes of a swarm of giant insects as he traversed the space across the room from the bed to the windows. He sat down on the edge of the loveseat and stared into the foggy night. The patter of the rain soothing him, calming his still frayed nerves. The light of the moon shone on his deep red skin, showcasing his extensive body tattoos. Insidious-looking patterns spread across his face and chest. The tattoos that dominated his front formed a pattern like a jagged, spiky rib cage, growing smaller and more densely packed the lower down his torso they went. The tattoos on his face resembled the striped patterns of a predator, with tattooed fangs and jaw-accenting patterns to match. Black lightning bolts spiraled down his arms and legs, spiraling around his limbs and crossing each other with great frequency, finally flaring when they reached his hands and feet. On his back the patterns became more tribal, more like shadows and elements mixing and melding together. Shapes like flames raged across his lower back, spiraling, curling ,and blazing, while a thick, swirling darkness stretching back from his head, neck and shoulders down to his upper back brooded over them.

Nox contemplated the nature of the Force Walk ritual that had brought him here, to this point. Embracing both sides of the Force and binding them to your will was the path to madness, or so it was said. Nox didn't believe it. He was going to prove them wrong. He would prove them all wrong. Those who had come before him hadn't gone mad because the Force was meant to be separate, its power divided. They'd gone mad because they were weak. They weren't determined enough, strong enough, to master this power. It wasn't their destiny. It was his.

He thought back on the particulars of the Force Walk ritual. The pacification, the binding, the domination...hmmm. Not for the first time he wondered why it only worked on dead spirits. Spirits without a body. If he was right about the artifacts he'd sent Xalek after a few weeks ago, he would know more in time. His apprentice already had the first 2 artifacts and was headed for the last one on Melenor. Soon. He thought. Soon I will have the secrets I desire in the palm of my hand.

He suddenly felt Ashara's hands on his shoulders, and felt her lean over the backrest of the loveseat to place her head beside his. The feel of her soft skin on his upper back and her cheek against his calmed the last of his fears and replaced them with much more familiar and pleasant passions.

He turned his head and she did too, their lips meeting in a tender kiss. Then he turned back and continued staring out the window. Her presence, her touch, was oddly helping to clear his mind and calm his thoughts. Usually it was the other way around. Usually she, through no fault of her own, distracted him. If it doesn't work on living spirits, he thought, there must be something unique about the bond. Something that doesn't allow you to create that bond with another life-form... He would have to alter it then. But to what? That was the real question. What bond in the Force would be compatible with a ritual of this nature while allowing him to...His eyes narrowed. Of course... A Force bond, like what he and Ashara shared, only much, much more powerful and resilient. This bond would have to be able to sustain the transmission of thoughts, feelings, intentions, sensations, and even power over vast distances on a regular basis. For it to do what he wanted it would need to be a stronger Force bond than anything he'd encountered since...yeeeess!

He could hardly contain his glee. Like the bond between the ritual caster and the ritual subject of Tulak Hord's Essence Transfer ritual! No force bond he knew of was stronger than that. It did, after all, have to safely extract the entire soul of one entity without destroying it, and then transfer that soul, intact, into another's body. Even the force bond he and Ashara shared was nothing compared the strength of the bond he'd temporarily felt with Zash, when she tried to steal his body for her own. For just an instant he'd seen her entire life flash before his eyes. He felt every emotion she felt, had every memory she did. He couldn't remember much beyond that, as the truth of those things was now like a half-forgotten dream, lurking on the edge of his consciousness. Eluding his grasp.

But he had felt it. The unifying of their minds as they fought for control. In that moment they had been as one being with two personalities, both of them fighting for mastery of their body. If this works like I think it will...he thought. I may well have just discovered what I need. The key to unlocking the power of a god. The door flashed briefly through his mind again. It would not stay closed for long...

* * *

Jay-Li Kenobi sat cross-legged on the floor. His heavy brown robes providing something of a cushion to protect him from the hard metal of the ship. His meditations were becoming increasingly plagued by distractions. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to get the feeling of doom and danger out of his mind. Something was going on. It was a small wrinkle in the Force, he could sense it. But it was growing. Slowly, but still, growing. Change was coming. He didn't know why he thought that. The future, after all, was always in motion. Yet he could sense something wasn't quite right about this change. The future was slowly being altered, no, _guided_ by an unknown influence, he could sense. But guided to what and by whom, he didn't know. It was all clouded by the Dark Side...and something else. Something that wasn't the Dark Side, but just as dark and mysterious.

Rising from his position on the floor, Jay-Li walked out of his quarters and turned, heading into the cockpit. Lieutenant Iresso was seated in one of the two pilot seats, legs on the dash, arms behind his head. The picture of relaxation. Jay-Li almost thought he was asleep for a moment, but the Force told him otherwise. Remarkable, he thought. Even with all of that dark knowledge implanted in his head by the Sith, he still manages to relax and just be human once in a while. Instead of drowning himself in his work or alcohol or...worse.

Hearing Jay come in, Iresso didn't even move but spoke to the Jedi Master. "Three bogies in the past 5 hours. Just flew by without even a transmission."

"Don't tell me you were bored." Jay-Li said half-jokingly.

"Me? Naw!" The soldier replied mockingly. "You know me I'm the life of every party!" Jay chuckled and sat in the captains chair.

"Let's go home, to Tython."

To Tython." The lieutenant echoed, warming up the ship's engines and prepping the hyperdrive. Within minutes the black of space faded away, replaced by the bright blue of hyperspace.

* * *

Jay-Li walked stoically into the Jedi Council Chambers. Master Kiwiks, Master Satele, Master Kaedan, and two other Jedi Masters were already there in person and seated. Most of the remaining members of the Jedi council were present by holo. Several masters were discussing topics of the day in various groups, continuing debates they had left off earlier perhaps. He took his seat, and after 2 more of the Council tuned in via holo, the meeting began. "I hereby bring this meeting to order." The dull mulling of conversations muted itself, and every master turned their gaze to the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order: Satele Shan. "I'd like to open with the issue I think is most important. Master Kenobi, if you would?"

"Of course." Jay said, bowing his head in respect as much as acknowledgement. "My most recent visions have disturbed me. I see a great darkness arising, and not necessarily from the Sith." The comment stirred sounds of surprise and confusion from several Masters.

"My friends, please!" Satele said. "Let Master Kenobi continue!"

"It's quite alright Master Satele." Jay-Li said smiling gently. "They have more than enough reason to be surprised."

"The Sith are the only widespread source of Dark Side energy in the entire galaxy!" Jaric Kaedan said with conviction. "How could any darkness capable of threatening the galaxy NOT come from them?" Jay-Li steepled his fingers in front of his face.

"I don't know. I don't know anything for sure. All I know is that the future I see is shrouded utterly in the Dark Side, but there is something else...an almost alien presence overshadowing it all. Dark, but not the Dark Side."

The chorus of confused murmurs and concerned conversations erupted again. Master Satele let it continue for a brief moment before speaking. "Please Masters, one at a time. Master Suloong, you have something to say?"

"Yes." The Iridonian Jedi Master said. Turning to Jay-Li he asked in a curious tone, "What brought these visions on? Where were you when you had them? What was your mission? Your environment? Your focus during your meditation?" Jay-Li let his hands drop back onto the arm rests of his chair.

"I was spending several days meditating alone in deep space, I focused on my future, and the future of the galaxy." He responded, not a ripple of deception in his voice.

"This is grave news." The voice of Master Kiwiiks spoke softly from her chair on the other side of the semi-circle. "We sensed this kind of darkness once, and we lost many, many Jedi to the plots of the Sith and the renewal of the war. Some of the lost sat on this very council..." Her voice trailed off.

"But that raises an interesting question." Master Kaedan pointed out. "Why did none of us receive similar visions?"

"Master Kenobi's power in the force has been proven to us time and again." Master Satele's response elicited some murmurs of acknowledgement. "He alone has often been given foresight and knowledge other members of this council and this order have not. And as the Barsen'thor of the Jedi order, it is his purview to see to the order's preservation." Silence. "However," Satele continued. "No matter who it is who brings forward information, revelations, or visions before this council, we must all reach an agreement on how to act on this knowledge." Murmurs of assent. "That is what this meeting is about." Master Satele finished.

"Well I think it would be prudent to redouble our efforts into monitoring the movements within the Sith Order." Master Kaedan said affirmatively. "This great darkness could well be another Vitiate on the rise. That is the way of the Dark Side, and the Sith, after all. When one falls, there's always another to take their place."

"A wise course of action." Master Ro-Faal added. The Kel Dor Jedi Master had been leaning back in his chair, listening to the conversation until now. "At the very least if we get a better understanding of what exactly is occurring within the Sith Order at this time, we can better understand our enemy so as to finally defeat them. At the very least, with this course of action we will prove that this darkness is indeed from the Sith, while also acquiring much useful information on our foe."

"But that will take resources and time." Master Sirina said, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Both of which we are short on."

"Is it not worth it if we prevent another Vitiate?" Master Kendok challenged her.

"Enough." Master's Satele's voice drew everyone's attention back to her. "I see no other option considering that Master Kenobi's visions are all we have to go on at the moment. Do we all agree we should begin monitoring the Sith Order much more closely in an attempt to determine the source of the coming darkness?" Several Jedi Masters of the Council nodded their assent. Master's Sirina and Suloong seemed hesitant at first, but eventually nodded their vote as well.

"Who will lead this project?" Asked Master Sirina inquisitively.

"Master Kenobi, they are your visions. Will you lead this project to monitor suspicious activity within the Sith Order?" Jay-Li looked at Master Satele, then at the other faces all around the circle. They all expected something from him.

"Are you certain of your choice Master? I am willing, but surely Master Kaedan would be better suited for such a task."

"My place is on the front lines." Kaedan said firmly. "As much as I would like to infiltrate the Sith and sabotage their plans from the inside you, Master Kenobi, are far more skilled in the arts of clairvoyance, stealth, and infiltration than I am. You are the perfect candidate for this Council to send on this mission."

"That is true." Came the voice of Bela Kiwiiks. "If we assigned you to surveillance of the Sith, Master Kaedan, you'd be attacking Korriban and Dromund Kaas within the week!" Her voice had a definite teasing tone to it.

"I see no problem with that course of action." Was Master Kaedan's offended response.

"It is decided then." Master Satele confirmed. Master Kenobi will be in charge of the operation to infiltrate and provide surveillance on the Sith Order. Now on to other, more minor matters..."

* * *

Nox was striding unhindered through the Dark Temple when a loud scream of rage suddenly erupted from the shadows of the wall to his left. A dark, obscured figure sprang from the darkness with force-imbued speed, flying through the air and clutching a now active lightsaber. The red blade shone brightly in the dark, aimed at cutting Nox in two. The acolyte suddenly gasped as she stopped violently in midair. Nox was standing in front of and below her, with his active lightsaber impaled through the human's gut, suspending her in mid-jump. The violet blade emerged from her back like a morbid flower stalk. Nox had used his force speed to draw his lightsaber, activating it as he did, then move slightly to the right and towards the flying acolyte while driving his lightsaber through the poor creature's stomach. The result is that Nox now stood with the acolytes gasping head over his left shoulder, with his saberstaff driven through the young human's gut by her own momentum.

She de-activated her lightsaber and gasped her last words into his ear. "Thank...uhuhu...you..." He used the force to push the body away from him as he deactivated his lightsaber. In her last moments the spirits inhabiting the Temple had released her from their possession. She had died free. Nox placed his saberstaff back on his belt and continued walking. He had mediation to accomplish. The spirits of the temple would not stop him or interfere if they knew what was good for them. Despite the fact that he already had 5 Force-Ghosts bound to him by the Force Walk, he knew he could handle a few extra, minor Sith spirits in his body if he had to. Even if only to torture them and release them as an example to the others.

Reaching the spiral ramp leading to the Temple's upper levels, he stopped and examined what he saw ahead of him: a Sith acolyte and an Imperial Trooper engaged in an argument, unwittingly barring his way. Their voices, Nox could tell, were not their own. The trooper stood in a dominating position while the acolyte seemingly cowered. Nox reach out with the force and wrested their minds from the control of the possessing spirits with his powers of mind control. The spirits that had occupied their minds wailed and cursed at him, attempting to attack his force defenses. They couldn't even make a dent. Nox instructed the two telepathically to leave the temple grounds and return to their respective superiors. As he headed up the ramp he contemplated the meaning of life and death. He'd sensed the acolyte that had attacked him would serve his purpose better if she was dead, even though he could have easily released her mind from the spirit with a thought and ordered her to safety. But he knew better than to deny his instincts. They were the ration crumbs left behind along the path to his destiny after all. The other two, however, had important roles to play. Somehow, he had sensed a slight setback to his plans would come from killing them.

He shook his head. Playing with the future is a dangerous game, he decided while continuing up the ramp. He absentmindedly force-pushed a group of possessed acolytes and troopers that attacked him off the platform as he continued his line of thought. One misstep and he could inadvertently thwart his own destiny. He had to be meticulous. He stopped as he noticed he had reached the top of the ramp. Turning, he continued down the dark corridor, noticing a possessed Imperial Guard ahead. He waved his hand...and vanished from sight. Physically and in the force. Only highly advanced stealth detection tech could pierce his Force Cloak outside of a ten meter radius, that, or an immensely powerful Force-user. Immersed in the Dark Side, just another shadow among countless, he moved silently around the Imperial Guardsman, who was rambling incoherently.

Moving further along the corridor and keeping his Force Cloak intact, he soon came to the burial chamber of Lord Kallig I, his ancestor. Nox barely spared the open coffin a glance, working his way around the hexagonal room to avoid entering the detection range of the possessed Sith Lord standing in the centre of the room near the coffin: mumbling and whispering to himself, laughing periodically. Nox's goal was the side of the chamber that once been a makeshift wall. A similar wall had once sealed the room off entirely, when Nox first came here as an apprentice looking for an artifact. He'd long suspected that the second wall, so similar to the first, was only another doorway. A suspicion that had been confirmed when Zash used the chamber beyond it for the site of her attempt at stealing his body.

It was there he intended to meditate. Based on what little information he could steal from badly erased Imperial Guard archives one of his agents had procured for him, at the cost of his life unfortunately, the Emperor had battled the Jedi in that very chamber during the attack on Dromund Kaas. Nox wanted meditate there in the hopes of feeding off of Vitiate's residual energies. If he used the new technique discovered by Talos Drelik and one of his Nox's Sith minions on Yavin 4 only a few days ago, he should hopefully be able to acquire and reconstruct the Emperor's thoughts from before, during, and after that battle with his own meditations. This would provide him with a doorway into a pale reflection of Vitiate's mind, enough to glean valuable information.

How many Sith have wanted to accomplish what I am about to? He wondered. I'm about to peel back the curtain of Vitiate's mind and study it like a specimen. The thought made him a little giddy at first but he quickly sobered when he remembered how dangerous what he was about to do was. He'd heard all the legends. People had been driven irreversibly mad by being exposed to the Emperor's mind. And he was about to do the very same. There can be no reward without risk! He admonished himself and continued down the hall, still under cloak.

Reaching the chamber, he was shocked to see how it had changed. A throne of stone sat where Tulak Hord's ritual altar once had. Rocks had fallen from the ceiling, nearly burying the chamber completely. It was sheer luck the chamber was still here at all and not entirely caved in. "No." he said aloud. "Not luck, the Force." His destiny grew only clearer with each step along this path he took. Releasing the cloak he stood to his full height and began picking his way around and over the large chunks of the ceiling that had fallen down. The throne was unmarred and intact. He felt Vitiate's signature all over the chamber but the closer he got to the throne the stronger the residual signal got.

Climbing the stair and reaching the throne, he sat down and fell into the Force. After what felt like an eternity of feeling the waves of the force wash over him again and again, he could see it. He couldn't just see it, he could smell, it, hear it, taste it. Lightsabers clashing. Grunts of effort. He could taste the Light Side emanating from the Jedi Knight who fighting off an army of illusions. He could see Vitiate descending the steps to the Knight, his cold, empty rage emanating from him like a miasma. He saw Vitiate dispense with the illusions and humor the Knight with face-to-face combat. The Knight gained an advantage, only for Vitiate to vanish and 5 illusions of him to attack the Knight from nowhere. But Nox wasn't interested in the battle. No he wanted the real prize, the Emperor's thoughts. Reaching out through the Force, Nox seized on the imprint of Vitiate's mind. A faint echo of the real thing, like a footprint in the sand. Here and then gone. Time and the currents of the Force had already worn away much of the details, but what was left was more than enough to challenge Nox's perceptions of reality. The dark truths of the Emperor's mind took on a life of their own, and attacked him like rabid predators, threatening to tear apart his mind and devour it whole...

But Nox remembered the door. The power was there, waiting to be claimed. The power that was his destiny. He would **not** fail! He would **not be denied**! He seized his thoughts and wielded them like a weapon. Summoning the Dark Side, he felt the power swell within him. Bending the Light Side to his will, he then harnessed his discipline and focus to control and direct his rage, his hatred, his anger into a blade of psychic force energy that pierced the phantom thoughts that were assailing his mind. Seizing upon them, he laid them out like puzzle pieces. And slowly, those pieces came together. Piece by maddening piece, he assembled the truth. He understood. He knew what he had to do.

"The children..." he breathed. His voice as hoarse as if he had been screaming. "The children...are the key...will be the key. The key that unlocks the door..." He sat on the throne, deep in thought. He knew what his path was. With the truths he'd gleaned from the ghost of the Emperor's mind and the knowledge from his vision, he saw the way ahead. He would create his own children. Just like how the Children of the Emperor were the product of Vitiate's years of work and experimentation, so too would these "children" Nox would create be his spawn. But not the spawn of an emperor, oh no. Nox had no desire to rule a mere empire. As an emperor he was a symbol, he could be defied, hated, rebelled against, and overcome. No. He would be, he WAS, darkness incarnate. So too would these children be manifestations of his will, they would be his Children of Darkness. He now knew where to find the knowledge Vitiate had used to create his "children". The exact knowledge of the rituals involved were details that had long since been worn away from the still-fading imprint of Vitiate's mind, but the knowledge of where such mysteries were kept was still intact. Yavin 4...


	2. Chapter 2: Betrayal

**Chapter 2: Betrayal**

Master Jay-Li Kenobi shuddered in the cold, watching his breath freeze as it left his mouth and billowed behind him like steam as his speeder zoomed overtop the snowbanks. He disliked ice planets. The heat was much easier to ward off than the cold. He focused on his breathing and called on the Force. Soon he felt warm again, but the technique only slowed the effects of the cold and allowed him to survive without winter gear temporarily, not forever. His wife Nadia on the other hand wasn't having such an easy time of it. She was used to warm temperate climates, and despite how strong she was trying to be he could tell she was feeling fatigued.

Focusing on the Force, he let a stream of healing force energy flow from his body, through her arms and back into her. She stirred as the restorative energies loosened her muscles and warmed her extremities. "Thanks." she said sweetly and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled back at her. Her painted face was as white as the snow that surrounded them, save for the thick black lines that stretched from her eyes upward and across her cheeks. Her Jedi robes, a hand-woven gift from the Voss Mystics and made in their traditional style, were streaming out behind her in the wind. The bright, shimmering green of the decorative patterns contrasting the deep brown of the fabric.

"You're most welcome my dear. Now remember, try and focus on feeling the currents of the Force around you. Don't focus on anything else, just feel the Force." He felt her concentrate, and sensed through their force bond that the pain of the cold was beginning to leave her body. She relaxed more and squeezed him around the waist.

"What would I do without you?" She asked rhetorically.

"Get into trouble." He said shooting her a wink over his shoulder. She giggled and smacked him on the shoulder before returning her hand to its place with the other, clasping his abdomen. The speeder accelerated and roared off towards a massive mountain in the distance, covered in ice and snow.

Before long they arrived at the mountain. Jay-Li and Nadia had tracked their target, a Sith Lord, here. A unique calculating algorithm written by their good friend Tharen Cedrex had calculated that this particular Sith was likely up to something more dangerous than any of his fellows. The algorithm considered factors such as the locations he had visited in the past month, the history of those locations, as well as the number and significance of people who coincidentally come down with a bad case of dead within the same time period. Master Kenobi wasn't normally the kind of man to rely on technology or algorithms to decide his courses of action, but he could feel the Force's hand in all of this. They were meant to track this Sith. They were meant to discover exactly what he was doing here.

He climbed off the speeder and offered Nadia his hand, as if this whole thing had been nothing more than a man giving a lady a joyride. She laughed and took it, hopping off the speeder and drawing her lightsaber, but leaving it inactive. "Let's go!" She said and bounded off towards the nearby cave. Jay-Li smiled and called on the force. Taking off at impossible speed, he whooshed past Nadia in a blur. Giggling, she followed suit and they were halfway down the cave before they came across the corpses.

It was a group of dead Wampas. All sliced to pieces by a lightsaber. Jay-Li stopped and inspected the corpses briefly, allowing Nadia to catch up. "He's been here." He said, "Not too long ago either. Time for stealth." She nodded and with a wave of her hand, vanished from sight, sinking deep into the shadow of the Force. Master Kenobi followed suit and the two headed deeper into the cave. As they travelled Jay-Li poured over the situation in his mind. It didn't make sense. Their target was somehow making it impossibly hard to track him. All they had left to follow right now was a very faint force signature, and yet all the other clues said they were right on his tail! Suddenly they turned a corner, and realized they were in a small, open cavern. The end of the cave. A ray of light filtered down from a hole in the roof, casting its light on...there! At the far end of the cavern! Jay-Li felt it before he saw it. A small Sith holocron, glowing with a soft, pulsing violet light. Odd, he thought. Usually Sith holocrons were red. No matter. He could feel the Dark Side emanating from it in waves. It was a Sith holocron, no question about that.

Suddenly the cave exploded with Dark Side energy. In front of the holocron, a figure de-cloaked. He wore violet robes with white and grey armor attachments. At his waist was a saberstaff of Sith design. His three-fingered claw-like hands and his hooded head were the only things exposed to the open air. From those hands and through the Force, Jay-Li knew right away who he was looking at. The Kaleesh they were tracking, Lord Xalek.

Xalek reached for the holocron. Finally, his task was at an end. Grasping it in his hands, he stared at it. It was glowing with a bright purple light. Almost the same color as his own skin. Fascinated, he turned it over and over in his hands, feeling its weight and texture with his bodily senses, and its power through the force. Reaching for his pocket he pulled out a holo-transmitter and punched in the code meant for use by him and him only. He set the holo-transmitter on the ground in front of him and stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, the artifact hidden behind his back. The image of his master, wearing identical armor to him except for the helm and gloves, appeared. The similarity in their choice of wardrobe was no accident. Xalek had purposefully ordered his new set of armor with the specifications for his master's armor. It had served his lord well, so why should it not do the same, and more, for him?

"My master." He greeted Darth Nox with a bow of his head. Not his usual sign of deference.

"What is it Xalek?" His master asked, realizing he was either going to get very good news, or very bad news. Xalek didn't speak a word. He simply brought the hand holding the artifact around in front of him, to where Nox could see it. "Ahhhh yes. I knew you wouldn't fail me Xalek. You never have."

"You honor me, my lord." The Kaleesh said, bowing his head once more.

"Bring the artifacts to me at once! I will be awaiting your arrival on Dromund Kaas. There is much work to be done Lord Xalek."

Xalek was about to respond when a disturbance in the force stopped him. Summoning the Dark Side to him he moved with incredible speed, twisting the holocron from the spot it was in and clutching it to his chest as he whirled around. Drawing and igniting his lightsaber as he turned, he saw a faint shimmer of refracted light over his shoulder, and felt the wind of something moving past him at an incredible speed. Xalek attached the holocron to his belt as a man in brown robes with blonde hair suddenly de-cloaked six meters off to Xalek's left and drew a saberstaff, igniting the green blades. Xalek spat his next words with contempt and hatred. "Jedi!"

Xalek charged, moving at full speed towards the attacker who had attempted to steal the holocron from him, right in front of his master. His violet blade clashed with the Jedi's green one, and the two saberstaff practitioners battled at close range. Xalek utilized Form VII Juyo in an attempt to quickly end his assailant, thrashing and twirling his lightsaber in vicious combinations of moves. His opponent met them all. He seemed to be using a more defensive variant of Form VI Niman, incorporating elements of Form III Soresu into the more balanced, so called "diplomats form". Xalek growled and increased the frequency of his attacks, incorporating some Form IV Ataru attacks, hoping to overwhelm the Jedi with sheer offense. But to no avail. His opponent's use of the elements of Form III made his defense shockingly resilient.

Normally, Form VI Niman was favored by Jedi and Sith who were weak in lightsaber combat, or didn't have the time to train in the martial arts, as it was easy to learn. As such, the majority of its practitioners were weak combatants who preferred using the Force to solve their problems rather than the blade of a lightsaber. However, the effort required to learn Niman form was inversely proportional to the effort required to master it. Xalek knew well how deadly the form could be thanks to his master. Darth Nox was master of Form VI, after the order of Exar Kun. His perfect balance of use of the Force and use of a lightsaber in combat made him a terrifying foe to face. No matter what you did, a true master of Niman like his master had an answer for it. There were no inherent weaknesses in Niman. It was completely balanced. It offered no offensive advantage other than what its user brought to the table. On the other side it brought no exceptional defense boost either, other than what the user, again, possessed.

His master always used to say: "Form VI is the ultimate test of strength. If you are weak, it will not help you. It only empowers those who are strong enough to master it." As the thought flashed through his mind, Xalek began to strategize how he might defeat this opponent. Without his master here he had only his own power and skills to rely on. So he would use his master's training, and use it well. He slipped into Form II Makashi, aiming to disarm his opponent rather than pierce his seemingly impenetrable defense or counter his equally formidable offense.

The change threw his opponent for a second, but only just. In another microsecond the hole in his opponents defense closed and he cursed at losing his opportunity. He felt a ripple in the force, and dodged an incoming barrage of boulder-sized projectiles made entirely out of frozen snow, launched by his opponent in repeated, rapid succession. Not solid enough to crush him but more than solid enough to hurt. Bounding off the cavern walls, he dodged snowy missile after snowy missile. Then he leaped down on his opponent and brought his lightsaber over his head, unleashing a Kaleesh warcry. He was going to bring the blade down on the Jedi and cleave him in half. His opponent dodged easily, slipping to the side like a ghost, as if he had never been standing there in the first place. Xalek landed and attacked with fury. He began to break up his attacks with use of the force: slash, stab, lightning burst, stab, lightning burst, spinning attack, force push, Lightning blast, slash... Every move was countered, every feint foreseen.

Another ripple in the force. Running completely on instinct, Xalek whirled to the side. Another Jedi, a female, de-cloaked, grasping at the place where the holocron hanging from his belt had been only a few microseconds before. He snarled with rage. This was becoming tiresome. He realized his master was still watching the proceedings, silently. The whole time, Darth Nox had been watching Xalek struggle against a powerful enemy and said and done nothing! His muscles tensed with rage. But that is the way, Xalek reminded himself. If I am weak, he wants to see that weakness laid bare. The Kaleesh straightened, every muscle in his body tensing as he prepared for what was to come. He would not be weak. He would show his master he was fit to be his apprentice, that he was a worthy successor, that he was worthy to slay him and take his place one day! _He would not fail his master._

The two Jedi attacked. The male attacked first, tying up Xalek's lightsaber in crosscuts and entangling combos. Xalek felt his limbs grow weary and heavy as his opponent attempted to use the Force to tire him and limit his reaction time. He resisted. With everything he had; his rage, his unbridled hate, his unquenchable bloodlust, he resisted. The female followed behind. She attempted to overwhelm him while his defenses were limited, using a deadly combination of lightsaber assaults and powerful force kinetics. This female was strong. Almost as strong in the force as her Jedi friend...friend? He mulled the thought over, even as his body weakened and the Jedi's attacks increased. No, he realized, not just friends. The way these two worked together in perfect sync...as if reading each other's thoughts, they weren't merely friends. Behind his bone mask, a smile split his face. He had his escape plan.

He slowed his reactions further. Not enough to lose him a limb, but enough to make the Jedi believe their strategy was finally working. The male began to raise his lightsaber, and Xalek saw the spinning slash coming before the lightsaber got more than halfway to full position. He leaped off the ground, using the force to enhance his strength. Spinning in midair, he unleashed a whirling kick right into the male Jedi's chest. Normally the blow would have cracked ribs, but the Jedi's force armor protected him from that. Not, however, from being winded. With the male staggering back, Xalek knew he had his chance. It was now, or never.

But he didn't need to, the female attacked him all her own. "Nobody hurts my friends!" she screamed and lunged with her lightsaber, trying to bury it in his gut. He spun out the way and knocked the back of her head with the hilt of his lightsaber, sending her tumbling into the snow bank behind him. Xalek raised his hands to the ceiling and reached out with the force. Snow began to fall and frozen chunks of snow began to break apart. The male Jedi was just clambering to his feet. When he saw what Xalek was doing his eyes widened with horror. "No!" He cried out. But it was too late. Xalek brought his hands DOWN with a finality that sent shivers up his spine. He'd won.

The male Jedi made a desperate leap to the female, landing on top of her, shielding her with his body just as the ceiling began to come down on them. Xalek turned and, with the last burst of force power he could muster, sprinted down the cave to the entrance, the holocron bouncing on his hip. The only thing left behind as the cavern collapsed was the holographic image of his master, still standing there, stoically watching his apprentice escape. In seconds the young Sith was out of range. Then the ceiling collapsed on the transmitter, and the image vanished.

* * *

Darth Nox crept, unseen and unheard, through the jungle of Yavin 4, his Force Cloak hiding him from all methods of detection. The trees emerged from the ground like bulbous tumors, their roots greedily sucking the nutrients buried in the planets soil. In the upper levels of the jungle canopy, tropical avians released loud calls that reverberated through the mist like the screams of phantoms. In the underbrush, small creatures scurried about, the only evidence of their existence being the rustling of the vegetation they disturbed. In the distance, a Krakjya stalked its prey, a young Ginx. In a flash of speed, the predator leaped from its hiding place and was upon the Ginx before it could croak. A bite on the neck from the feline predator's powerful jaws quickly ended the amphibian's suffering, almost before it even knew what was happening. Yavin 4 was a place where only the strongest survived.

Suddenly sensing a disruption in the currents of the Force, Nox quickly darted into an alcove created by the roots of a tree growing on the edge of an outcropping. The roots, which were as thick as his arm, hung over the outcropping like the tendrils of some Sithspawn monstrosity. He watched as, through the mists shrouding the landscape, a large shape appeared. Thunderous footsteps reverberated through the trees, heavy breath announcing the creature's presence with all the subtlety of a fanfare. A giant Massassi hunter tramped into view. Well over 12 feet tall, he had an eight-foot spear slung over his back by a strap made of some unidentifiable hide. Nox watched the massive monster lumber past him, and waited patiently until the behemoth had passed by and was significantly out of range before leaving the alcove to continue his journey.

He followed the path the stolen knowledge laid out for him, the desire to possess the secrets he sought grew greater with every step. Soon, he sensed activity up ahead. Organized activity, minds locked into routine, senses keen for any sign of trouble. Reaching the clearing in the trees, he saw what he had sensed: a stone building that looked like one of the many ruins that dotted the jungle moon, but this was no ruin. Despite the aged and battered walls, broken altars, and shattered obelisks, the place was teeming with Imperial Guards. The personal shock troops of Emperor Vitiate patrolled in strict, tight security grid patterns. Stationary guards stood at key infiltration points around the perimeter, their senses on high alert, just waiting to test his skills.

He couldn't leave any evidence of his incursion here. Doing so would risk drawing Vitiate's attention, and at this early stage of his plans Nox couldn't afford that. That meant he had to do this entirely by stealth. No casualties, no damage to the environment, no souvenirs. That last one stung a little. He was about to walk into what was possibly the greatest repository of ancient sith knowledge in the entire blasted galaxy...and he couldn't take a single thing.

But in the long run, he reminded himself, whatever knowledge he could obtain and whatever insight he could acquire by taking artifacts for further study was nothing. Not when he compared it to the impact the particular knowledge he sought would have on, not just his future, but the future of the galaxy. Sensing the opening in the patrols of the outer perimeter, a glance confirmed his instincts and with force-imbued haste he slipped in between the red-clad sentries, finding himself sandwiched between the outer and inner perimeter. No problem, he'd dealt with tighter security than this. Patience was the key to success here. Memories of his incursion into House Rist on Alderaan came back to him. A mere apprentice he had been then, and yet an entire house of born, bred, and trained-from-infanthood assassins had failed to not only stop his infiltration but even so much as detect his presence in their lair until he violated the sanctum of their leader, glibly talking her into summoning his target; Nomar Organa, to Alderaan.

He remembered too, the insufferable self-righteousness and immeasurable cruelty of the Jedi. How that scum, out of zealotry and with a lack of empathy that rivaled any Sith, had shamelessly manipulated his former lover and fiancé in order to lower Teridax's guard. He had played along with the Sith's attempt to reunite the two star-crossed lovers only until Teridax had left for the Elysium. Then with him gone he had broken his true love's heart all over again by rejecting her. Subjecting her to a world of heartbreak and torment in an attempt to intercept and capture, or kill, Teridax. With that one choice, the Jedi had violated every one of the very few rules and principles that Teridax held dear. He had slain Nomar for that particular transgression. What's more he made him suffer. First he had killed the Jedi Master's padawans right in front of him. They had died in terrible agony. Then the master had been subjected to his justice. He could still see that disgusting, deluded, self-righteous monster's face writhing in torment, struggling to stay strong in the face of Teridax's lightning, the physical manifestation of his immutable hatred. The then-sith apprentice had savored every moment as he watched Khem Vaal kill Nomar by devouring his spirit. The horror and fear of the Jedi had been like a sweet incense to him. Satiating his anger, his hatred, his bloodlust. Since then, he had rarely ever felt so alive. That had been a good day.

A shift in the Force's currents snapped him out of his wistful stroll down memory lane. A guard on patrol was coming directly toward him, only 15 meters away now. He frantically surveyed the situation: There were too many patrols nearby to make a move. He was trapped, he'd been too distracted. "Blast!" He cursed to himself, regretting it almost immediately. His stealth field prevented any sound from leaving the field's constrictive vicinity but it was still bad practice to speak under Force Cloak. He needed to get a handle on himself before he blew the whole mission. Extending his hand toward the approaching guard, he reached out in the Force. He felt the Dark Side surging forward to obey his command. Power gathered in his outstretched hand, and Nox felt the guard's mind through the Force, as if he held it in his hand. He grabbed a hold of it and with a carefully constructed thought, shut down the guard's conscious mind, while instructing his body to continue its normal routine. The man was his...for now. Vitiate was said to be linked to each and every member of the guard, but Nox was certain that, as far the Emperor was concerned, this guard was now merely asleep. Nox also doubted that the link between Vitiate and his guards was so intimate that he knew every thought each one of them had all the time. Vitiate's power and mind was immense and godlike, but not omniscient. No limited being could process that much information without destroying their mind entirely.

Satisfied that the immediate threat was neutralized without exposure, Nox turned his attention back to the patrol patterns. He didn't have to wait long before the next opportunity presented itself and he could pass between the oblivious guards like a phantom. Their blindness was almost laughable to him. Reaching the entrance, he looked down the at the opening. The steps before him descended into utter darkness. With a quick glance over his shoulder he confirmed that everything was exactly as he had seen it upon arrival, then he descended down the steps two at a time.

He quickly approached the bottom of the stairway. In the distance he could see torchlight illuminating the forms of two more Imperial Guards standing on either side of the passage that began where the stairs ended. Steeling himself, he fell deeper and deeper into the depths of the Force. Temporarily shrouded in the Dark Side, he was completely undetectable as he passed within a mere 2 feet of either guardsman. At one point his left hand nearly brushed against one of them, but the man showed no sign, physically or mentally, that he noticed anything. Continuing down the shadowed corridor, Nox slipped past several more guardsman and passed many dead-end halls with attached rooms before arriving at the door. It was a fake relic. Looking at it through the Force, Nox could see that it wasn't made purely out of carved stone. It was in fact made of durasteel with a thin coating of Beskar just underneath the layer of stone that camouflaged it with its surroundings. If he hadn't been sure of his stolen knowledge before, he was now. This was the place he sought. No guards were on duty, and this disturbed Nox somewhat. The fact that the compound was crawling with guardsmen and yet the final treasure lay unprotected set him on edge. Something wasn't quite right about this...

A quick examination of the door revealed it was a complex Force seal. Only a dark side force-user of considerable skill and knowledge in the methods of Force sealing could open it. However, the door was unlocked. This confirmed his suspicions. There was obviously no need for guards outside the library because there was already someone, or something _inside!_ This made the mission a whole lot more complicated. Unless there was only a few weak-minded sentients or beasts inside, learning what he needed to know without alerting anyone or anything to his presence would be very challenging. Reaching out with the Force he scanned the area on the other side of the door that was within visual range. He could sense artifacts of great power, holocrons, datacrons, ritual items, relics of old...so much knowledge and power, all in one place.

Sensing no sentient minds and no animals beyond a few small rodents, he used the Force to slide the door open. Not enough that someone would see it, unless they looked closely, but just barely enough for him to silently slide himself through the opening. Using the Force again, he quietly eased the door shut behind him and turned to take a look around. He was in the largest, most organized library and artifact storage space he had ever seen. The entire room took up an amount of space equal to the main hanger of a Star Destroyer. Everything small enough was set up on metal shelves organized by century. The larger devices and artifacts were in the back of the room against the far wall. There were datacrons and devices from the time of the Infinite Empire, ancient texts along with Sith and Jedi holocrons from the time of Naga Sadow and Marka Ragnos, and even more recent artifacts such as pieces of Rakata technology he recognized from his time on Belsavis and in the Foundry. It was all so amazing! Nox closed his eyes and just felt the _power_ that filled the room like water. Currents and eddies of energy rippled, curled, and flowed between the shelves, washing over him with an intensity that almost made him lose his concentration and drop his force cloak.

Suddenly he felt a shift in those currents. His eyes snapped open and instantly every muscle, every sense was on high alert. Something was moving. _Someone_ was moving. The disturbance was coming from the back of the library, the section of shelves containing the knowledge from the Golden Age of the Sith. Nox sank deeper into his cloak and backed off to the opposite side of the door that the disturbance was coming from. Watching intently, he saw a smaller than average human male round the corner of one of the aisles and begin walking along the rows of shelves. He was about 5'6 with a rather withered face and sunken yellow eyes. He seemed to like black, as his ritualist robes consisted of no other color. He was engrossed in a text scrawled on papyrus. It looked to be roughly from the time period of Ajunta Pall.

The Emperor's librarian, Nox thought. The idea sounded strange, almost ludicrous, but when he thought about it, it just made sense. All of this knowledge needed to be kept organized and in good condition. Of course Vitiate would make sure he had someone to do that job for him! Considering the amount of knowledge and powerful artifacts at his disposal, Nox doubted this man was incapable of defending himself and the library if it came to it. No doubt this Sith knew things even Nox didn't.

The large holoprojector a few meters behind Nox beeped and the dark lord nearly jumped out of his skin. The Sith who had just rounded the corner looked up, seeming surprised, and placed the text on the front desk of the library before walking hurriedly over to the projector. Nox repositioned himself by the desk so as not to give the mysterious Sith any chance of detecting him. The man activated the holoprojector and the image of pureblood materialized. "Servant Three, report." He spoke in a deep, commanding voice that matched his intimidating, hooded black robes.

Darth Nox nearly gasped but caught himself before the air could enter his mouth. Servant Three? Servant? He acted as the Emperor's caretaker for this storehouse of artifacts and knowledge, but the title...him having a conversation with a pureblood also dressed entirely in black robes... Could the shriveled human before him really be a member of the Emperor's Hand?

Nox had heard only rumors of such an order, one of these rumors was that each member was referred to as "Servant" followed by a number designate. Another rumor said that the Hand acted with authority above the Dark Council's. This particular rumor, so persistently told to rookies in the Imperial Army and apprentices on Korriban, also stated that they were directly linked to the Emperor and knew his thoughts, that they carried out his will without question, without treachery, and without fail. This mission just got a lot riskier, Nox thought to himself.

"Servant One." The human Sith bowed out of respect. "This is unexpected, is it really that time already? It seems like only a few days have passed since the last check in."

"With our master temporarily out of contact the Hand must maintain its own security. You know this, Servant Three. I realize it is hard to keep track of such irrelevant concepts as time in your location, but you must be more vigilant in such matters. It has in fact been 10 standard cycles since your last report." The human nodded cordially and began to oblige his comrade.

"There have been a few disturbances recently." The pureblood, Servant One, looked simultaneously worried and curious at the admission.

"What disturbances?" He demanded.

"Nothing too troublesome..." The wizened human's voice trailed off. "But reports from the guards have claimed to have seen both Jedi and Sith scouting the jung-"

"What do they know?" Servant One cut him off.

"Nothing!" Servant Three replied. "I assure you my friend every precaution has been taken and carried out with flawless efficiency!" He smiled underneath his cowled hood "Although..."

"Yes?" Servant One asked impatiently.

"It might be nothing but..."

"Spit it out! Do not try my patience Three!"

The human smiled. It wasn't often he got to see One like this. Without an open connection to Emperor, he was in a rather unstable state. Then again, so was Three. "The Jedi and Sith, they were working together. Co-operating without so much as a spat or quibble." He paused as if remembering something. "There were also armed men with them as well. Both Republic and Imperial soldiers and officers, judging by their uniforms."

Servant One relaxed noticeably. "That is nothing new. What you are seeing is merely our master's plans bearing fruit. Do not concern yourself with these intruders, just stay out of their sight at all costs!"

Servant Three nodded. "I shall notify the perimeter guards to begin using stealth field generators on duty, and I will lower their numbers and extend the perimeter to reduce the risk of discovery."

"That is satisfactory." Servant One replied. "What of the latest texts from Voss?"

Nox started as he suddenly realized he'd been standing here listening to these two old men chatter when he could have been using this opportunity to acquire the knowledge he came for. Moving swiftly and silently, he followed the stolen memories to the far back corner of the massive library. There he found a set of shelves labeled "Forbidden". Knowing this was where he would find what he was searching for, he started perusing through the host of datacrons, holocrons, and ancient scripts there.

After a few minutes of searching and finding nothing promising, he summoned the Force. He was careful not to drop his cloak and to disguise his movements within the currents and waves of energy undulating and writhing around him. Opening his eyes, he locked his gaze onto a particular section of shelves. Moving towards them he felt the resonance in the Force, as the object of his desire reacted to his probe. Reaching the purple datacron, he gazed at it a moment. A datacron...he mused. From the time of the Infinite Empire by the look of it. So Vitiate hadn't been the one to create these rituals, the Rakata had. Almost hypnotized, Nox reached out to touch the datacrons surface. Stopping just short of the object, he pulled back and thought for a minute. He'd found one of these datacrons before, on Korriban as an acolyte. When he had touched it he'd lost consciousness for a brief but undetermined amount of time. It could have been a one minute, or ten. If the same thing happened to him here and now, he would be discovered the moment his cloak dropped, and the mission would ultimately be a failure, perhaps dooming his entire plan.

He considered his options for a minute. Then he began channeling the force, once more disguising his movements within the spectrum of energy surrounding him. In another moment, he felt the Force wrap itself around him like a true cloak. This cloak would not shield him from being seen with the naked eye, but it would hide his presence in the force, making him impossible to find without using your natural vision. The cloak would also last about 12 minutes without requiring his concentration, which should be more than enough time to acquire the knowledge stored in this Datacron. He reached out his hand, and touched the glowing, purple surface. The moment his gloved hand made contact, darkness closed in around him and he knew no more.

* * *

Servant Three turned off the holoprojector. One had always been the coolest and most level-headed of the Twelve. Seeing him in such an emotionally charged state had been both invigorating and unsettling. Three himself was feeling more than a little emotionally charged. Before his induction into the Hand he had been a keeper of Sith lore. His work as a ritualist had only ever been a way to ensure his usefulness in the eyes of his fellow Sith, and thus preserve his life. Luckily for him, few others could match his skill, knowledge, and talent. It was those same skills and talents that had drawn the attention of the emperor. The same emperor who had promised him eternal life, and given only an eternal state of undeath. The same emperor who had promised him knowledge beyond his wildest dreams and participation in rituals that would change the galaxy, and yet stolen from him his passion for history, knowledge, and ancient lore.

In these past few months however, with his connection to the emperor rendered inactive by their master himself, Three had begun to feel again. He had begun to lose himself in his work just like the old days. He had spent days at a time, studying, analyzing, learning...and even just reading for the sake of it. He secretly hoped his master never again reactivated that cursed bond. He didn't want to be some gargoyle protecting his master's treasures, unable to feel anything but disdain and a cold, empty rage. He wanted to stay the way he was, the way he had been. A passionate disciple of history, not the slave of a mad demi-god.

He walked down towards the far end of the room, where the newest items were stored. Servant One had been less than pleased with his report on the state of affairs, especially regarding the new texts from Voss, hand-copied by Vitiate himself after his escape from the clutches of Sel-Makor. The Emperor had done much studying while imprisoned in the Dark Heart and had learned several things of great interest to him, but much of what he had discovered merely hinted at even greater secrets, greater knowledge, greater power. Seeking to preserve what parts he had deciphered and understood, he had copied it all from memory into several holocrons.

Three spent the better part of 5 minutes deciphering, organizing, and cataloguing holocrons before a faint ripple in the force distracted him. Pausing for a moment he tried to reach out and see if there was anything there, but only emptiness met him. Returning to his work, he was drifting off into his own little world until...there it was again! Another ripple, very small compared to the ebb and flow of the massive currents of power in the room, had nearly slipped past his notice. But Three had not spent more than a hundred years working in this place almost every day without getting to intimately know every eddy and current. This was a small but persistent disturbance. A leaf, in the middle of the jungle, dripping water into a puddle. An invisible event to anyone who didn't know that jungle like the inside of his own mind.

Putting the holocron he was working on down, he slowly and quietly began to move towards the source. As he went further and further back into the library, he realized it was coming from the "Forbidden" section. Vitiate had instructed him never to access any of the knowledge stored there, claiming it would destroy him. Perhaps something was reaching out to him, he thought. Perhaps there was some knowledge there that his master didn't want him to see, afraid it might make Three more powerful than Vitiate. Reaching the corner before the aisle from which the ripple was originating, he stopped suddenly as an idea came to him. Or perhaps...it was an intruder.

Almost immediately he rejected the idea, there was no way anyone or anything could have found this place, let alone gotten past all the guards without being noticed. No one was capable of such a thing. The Imperial Guards were the best of the best. Handpicked by Vitiate himself, and Vitiate would not have allowed the weak or foolish to be a part of his personal army. Still, the thought gnawed at him like a starving Womp Rat. He decided to see what he could find in the Force. Reaching out, he sensed...nothing. The aisle was empty, or so it seemed.

Reaching down to his waist, he clasped the hilt of his lightsaber. Silently removing it from its position, he held it in his hand but didn't activate it. He would jump out and if there was an intruder in the aisle, he would activate his weapon and attack. He wasn't a saber master but he was no slouch. He knew a hundred different techniques for Niman form and thirty to fifty variants of the other forms. Putting them into practice in battle had always been his one failing. If he devoted his life to the forms his knowledge alone might make him to most powerful swordsman in the galaxy.

Readying himself and tensing his muscles, he leaped around the corner and into the aisle. There was no-one there. He hurriedly reached out with the Force and still found nothing but silence. Shame washed over him. He must be getting paranoid. Suddenly he felt something. Different from the ripple but it was coming from this aisle. Slowly he walked down the column of shelves towards the source of the emanation. There! Right beside a purple datacron, a green holocron was glowing softly, as if reacting to his presence. Three approached the holocron and picked it up, cradling it in his hands as he might a small animal. The holocron must have called out to him, its voice not nearly strong enough to reach him in the ocean of power that buried it. That had been the ripple he sensed, the slight distortion in the song of the force. A single singer in a massive choir, singing slightly off-key, had attracted his attention. When he had reached the aisle it must have reacted to his presence, activating itself to compel him to use it. Now with it in his hands he could feel its pull. It wanted him to use it.

Stretching out with the Force, Three moved the holocron from standby mode to active mode, and the form of an unknown, human Sith appeared. Within minutes, he was engrossed in the teachings of the one calling himself Darth Nekros. So entranced he was that he failed to notice a small ripple, identical to the one he had sensed before, emanating from the door as it opened slightly of its own will, closing only a few moments afterward.

* * *

Demise walked purposefully through the dark Ilum night, his metal boots crunching on the soft blanket of white powder cloaking the icy landscape. The cold didn't bother him, if anything his cyborg implants ran better in the cold, their cooling systems no longer having to work so hard to keep their temperature down. That energy could then be applied elsewhere, resulting in his vision being sharper, clearer, stretching farther and becoming more accurate. His body had little trouble with the cold either. The inner fire of his rage kept him warm. He had no need for cold-weather gear.

"Hey wait up!" came Vette's voice from far behind him. He stopped and turned to look at her. She was dressed head-to-toe in the stuff. Her large hood was pulled up over her head, her Lekku no doubt pressed against her back. Uncomfortable, but not as much as wearing her usual outfit, an open leather jacket with a strap bra and skin-tight black pants, in this environment. He'd honestly never liked her wearing that outfit. It showed too much of her body, and Twi'lek bodies were the instrument of choice for pleasure in the galaxy. He'd caught more than one Imperial officer or Sith staring hungrily at her physique over the past few years. They always averted their eyes when they found him staring directly at them, the black, empty abyss of his helmet's eyeholes scaring the lust right out of them. But it never mattered to him that he'd staked his territory, what mattered was that they had looked. They had desired what was his, and his alone.

"Hey!" Her small hands, gloved in white, waved in front of his face. "Wake up!" We've got work to do, remember? Republic base to invade, Jedi Master to beat, Darth Malgus and stuffy Moff-guy to report to...any of this ring a bell?" He came out of his trance and looked at her. The cold was purpling her small, blue face on the cheeks and nose. Her gorgeous eyes, the same color as her cheeks now were, looked up at him with a look that said: Hey! Pay attention to me! He felt the strongest temptation to press the hidden button located on the side of his neck, retracting and folding his helm back under his cloak so he could take her in his arms and kiss her. She was so adorable.

"I love you" he said, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I know silly!" She said. "But shouldn't we be taking out that Jedi?"

"I mean it." He said, wrapping both hands around her waist and pulling her slim but thickly clothed body up against his armor. "I love you Vette, don't ever forget that."

She giggled "How could I, when you never let me!" She noticed he wasn't letting her go. Her eyes widened with surprise and a small flicker of mischievous delight flashed through them.

"Don't get any ideas in that Sithy head of yours!" She teased him. "Someone could see us, and it's really, _really_ cold out here!"

Demise couldn't help but smile. Vette always knew just what to say to lighten the mood.

"You're right, we have a Republic base to destroy and a Jedi to defeat." He admonished. "So let's get back to work before we do something we'll both regret."

Still wearing that mischievous grin, she turning around and starting to walk ahead of him. Demise watched her for a second, then followed. Within a few more minutes they reached the last Republic base they'd been sent to destroy: a small compound guarded mostly by Duros. This base guarded the entrance to the ruins where the Jedi Master Jaric Kaedan, commander of the Republic forces on Ilum, was holed up, although he wouldn't be there for much longer. Darth Malgus and Grand Moff Regus had given them orders to destroy the nearest enemy camps and then move on the field command base where Kaedan currently resided. Two of those bases had already fallen victim to Demise's lightsaber and Vette's twin blasters. This was the last base, after this they would move on Kaedan and end his miserable existence once and for all. Vette drew her twin blasters and twirled them on her fingers. "Ready?"

"Always." Demise's voice wasn't the same lighthearted, happy one it been mere minutes before. Now it was steeled in anger and steeped in rage. He was ready to fight. He was ready to kill. He took off toward the camp at a run. Spotting an outer patrol, he charged straight for them. The bulbous-headed aliens saw him coming, a dark shape against the pure white backdrop of the snow. Two of the guards pulled out their electrostaves, and the third drew a single blaster. They were dead before they had a chance to use them.

Summoning the Force, he activated his lightsaber, the violet blade glowing brightly. He hurled it at the guard wielding the blaster. Guided by his outstretched hand and his will, the lightsaber sliced the soldier in half, cutting through armor and flesh with equal ease. As his weapon returned to his hand, twin blaster bolts flew over his shoulder, impacting the one remaining Duros directly in both eyes. The last remaining mercenary didn't even have time to think let alone grieve. Demise was already airborne, his lightsaber raised to strike. With a swift slice, executed the moment he landed, Demise cut the man in half at an angle. His chest, shoulders, and bulbous head to fall to the snow, while the waist and legs dropped straight to the ground.

Shouts came from the camp, and the manned turrets turned and began to belch plasma at Demise. The Sith reflexively whirled his lightsaber in a dizzying pattern in front of him, and every blaster bolt fired went back to its source. He watched in satisfaction, his anger still growing, as the fools who had dared to attack him died to their own weapons. Two of the bases four turrets were now inoperable. Time to deal with the others. He ran towards the compound, lightsaber in hand. Leaping onto the raised platform surrounding the base building, he steeled himself for the attacks he knew were coming. Now that he had entered their range the two western turrets opened fire, just as two more Duros mercenaries and their commander came running out of the base, electrostaves and blasters in hand. He deflected the blasts from the turrets, aiming them directly at the commander. The explosion sent the twisted and burned corpses of the two bodyguards flying, but the commander charged out of the smoke, his personal shield forming a transparent blue barrier around him.

Two blaster shots rang out from behind Demise, and the twin bolts he was expecting flew past him. One struck a turret operator directly between the eyes, the other hit the one remaining turret, and the machine's power source began to go critical. It's operator, now the only man standing besides the commander, scrambled off just in time to be thrown 4 meters by the explosion. The commander reached Demise and began a laborious attack pattern, swinging his weighty electrostaff in a doomed attempt to protect the base and himself. Demise didn't even bother attacking, and a shower of blaster bolts struck the shield as Vette fired continuously at the shielded commander. Although Demise could easily overload the shield with either his lightsaber or the force, he simply deflected and parried the slow, heavy strikes effortlessly. He wanted to enjoy this. He sensed the duros turret operator getting to his feet, a quick glance confirmed it. He let the struggling alien clamber up, draw a blaster, and aim it shakily at him. Then, without even moving his hand, Demise reached out with the Force. The man's esophagus closed, and he was lifted off his feet gasping desperately for air. He scratched and clawed at his neck, trying to release the grip the force had on his throat...but to no avail. He was already dead. The only thing left to do was accept it.

As Demise humiliated the mercenary commander, he savored crushing the last remaining underling's life without having to so much as lift a finger. When the last light in the alien's eyes died, Demise released the corpse from his will and let it drop to the platform with a thud. Deflecting another pathetic attack from the commander, Demise gestured with his free hand. The shield began to shudder and waver as the crushing power of the Force was brought to bear upon it, and as a volley of blaster bolts from the little blue Twi'lek standing at the edge of the platform continued to pummel it, it began to fade. The commander's fear grew, feeding Demise's rage. Parrying each attack as the shield faded, he waited until it finally flickered out. Rearing back his hand, he focused the Force into it and slapped the commander hard across the face. Bones broke, and the Duros stumbled back as an inferno of pain overtook him. A single blaster bolt struck him straight in the center of his forehead, and his dying body fell to the floor.

Silence. The only sound was the humming of Lord Demise's lightsaber, and the whistling of the cold night wind blowing harshly over the white, snowy dunes. Demise de-activated his lightsaber and placed it back on his belt. Behind him he heard Vette approaching. Once she reached him, without waiting for her to speak he said: "Come on, we have to move quickly, before the Jedi has a chance to prepare." He turned and began walking towards the steps, heading for the slope leading up to the ruins where their enemy was waiting.

Realizing Vette wasn't following him, he turned and immediately sensed the fear in her. "What is it?" He asked worriedly.

"It's just..." She stopped and shook her head. "No it's nothing. It's nothing, let's get going." She tried to walk past him but was stopped by his massive, clawed glove reaching out and blocking her.

"Vette..." his voice was serious. There's no getting out of it now, she thought to herself.

"It's Jaesa." She said matter-of-factly, awaiting his reaction.

"Jaesa?" He asked stunned. Why was she bringing this up, and now of all times? "Vette, Jaesa and I are no longer what we were. We haven't been since she forced me to choose between the two of you."

"I know." Was Vette's worried reply. "It's just..." she trailed off. Demise took her in his arms. "Vette. I need you to talk to me."

"I'm scared of her Gally."

Demise was startled at her use of the nickname. She only used that name for him under two different circumstances, and they were nowhere near his quarters.

"Why?" he asked. "You know she wouldn't dare touch you. She respects and fears me far too much to even consider it!"

"Are you sure?" Vette asked her breath beginning to shorten as her heartbeat sped up. "How do you know she won't kill me just to satisfy her own thirst for vengeance! You know how she is!" Demise sighed.

"I do. It's why I chose you, not her." He still sensed fear in her. "That's not all though...is it?"

"No." She said quietly. "No, I'm not just scared for me."

"Then who?"

"You."

He held her at arm's length and looked into her eyes. "I-I'm not sure what you mean." She turned away from him and walked a few paces away. She was gathering the courage to say something.

"You...you really scare me sometimes." She said, not looking at him.

"Vette..."

"Just the way you act! It's like you're a whole different person when you're angry!" Her voice got very quiet all of a sudden. "A very scary person." She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered in the cold. Suddenly she felt his arms around her. His large, armored chest against her back. His head just over hers.

"Vette." He said softly. "This is part of who I am. You can no more take my anger at the galaxy away from me than you can take my love for you."

"That's part of the problem." She said. "I worry...about what you could become without me. I'm afraid of the person you might turn into if you lose me. I don't want that for you Gally."

Galadius was silent for a moment as he thought about what she was saying. She was remembering the stories she'd found about Darth Malgus, how he had killed his own lover, a Twi'lek like her. He turned her around and gently raised her chin to look into his eyes. He reached up and deactivated his helmet. With a whirring and whizzing sound it retracted under his robes, folding itself into a small, compact box attached between his shoulder blades. His mechanical eyes stared into her own. "Vette." He said finally. "I am not Malgus. I will never be Malgus. I vow, you will have nothing to fear from me. I will protect you with my life."

"And if you fail?" She asked, her voice beginning to tremble. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Demise reached out a clawed finger and wiped it away gently.

"If I fail, I swear to honor your memory. As if you were still with me."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He said with absolute confidence. He would keep that promise at any cost, he decided. He was a man of his word. They embraced for a moment, until he felt Vette's emotions return to normal. "Now." he said. "Let's slay us a Jedi hmm?" Her hands reached for her blasters, and when she spoke, there was a hint of steel in her voice.

"Yeah, lets get'em!"

* * *

Snowflakes flew wildly in the raging winds sweeping the white dunes. The dark clouds that accompanied the blizzard blocked nearly all sunlight from the system's primary, making it appear to be night when in fact it was the middle of the Melenorian day. Suddenly, a 3-meter-wide circular spot of snow melted, and a rapidly spinning double-bladed lightsaber flew straight up into the air. The hiss of the weapon deactivating was lost in the howling of the winds, but its fall back into the hole it had created was unnaturally straight considering the 100 mph winds sculpting the landscape. After only a few moments, Jay-Li was levitated out of the hole, landing on his feet at its edge. Turning, he steadied his stance, bracing himself against the rushing winds and extended his hands. Moments later Nadia levitated out of the opening, held aloft by his will. Floating her right into his arms, the two embraced. The action was borne of need for warmth as much as affection and relief.

They had spent the past few hours entombed in freezing snow. Jay-Li had managed to summon and channel a Force Barrier before the ceiling completely caved in on them. He had kept the Force Barrier active for a full hour to give the snow time to freeze solid, creating a deathly cold but stable shelter from which to dig themselves out. Using one of their lightsabers like a spinning turbine to half-melt/half-drill their way out had been Nadia's idea. Not for the first time Jay wondered what he would've done without her. "Are you alright?" He asked, feeling her body temperature begin to decline.

"I'm fine, just a little cold that's all." She held him tighter as if doing so would banish the chilling winds. She suddenly looked up at him with concern "What was that overwhelming feeling back in the cave Master?" Her eyes showed confusion and worry "It felt so depressing...like I'd just lost something important to me. Did you feel it too?" Jay looked deep into her beautiful eyes. He couldn't lie to her.

"Yes, I felt it. Master Kaedan..." He stopped briefly to hold back his emotions "Master Kaedan is one with the Force." Nadia gasped and covered her mouth.

"No, not Master Kaedan, how? He was so strong! That's impossible!" Jay-Li bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"The Sith who killed him...I sense so much rage and anger in him, it's like a bottomless well..." Nadia shivered, but not from the cold.

"We need to get back to the speeder." Jay said urgently, attempting to change the subject to the more immediate issue. There would be time to mourn Master Kaedan after they had preserved their own lives. "If it hasn't been buried in this blizzard that is."

"Can't you just call someone to come get us?" Nadia asked, shivering despite her attempts to ward of the cold with the Force.

"Communications don't work with so much atmospheric interference." Jay calmly reminded her.

"Oh..." Her disappointment and discomfort were evident in her tone.

"We'd better get moving" Jay said releasing her. He reached out with the force and quickly found the speeder, buried only 10 meters down, 5 miles west of their location. "Come on, this way." He began walking out into the blinding, snowy haze. Nadia followed, trying to shelter herself from the elements with her robes and with the force.

They'd gone only 3 miles when Jay suddenly felt something that made him panic. He'd been so focused on using the force to keep their bearings in the storm that he hadn't noticed Nadia weakening, until she passed out just now. Whirling, he ran the few steps back to her unconscious body. Her heartbeat was fading fast. She'd been so intent on being strong that she hadn't told him she needed help, and now extreme hypothermia was setting in. If he didn't do something, she was going to die.

"No, no, no no!" he said desperately. "Hang on Nadia, I won't let you die!" Kneeling down and reaching out with the Force, he entered a healing trance. He felt the life energy flow from the Force into him, and channeled it from him into her. But it wasn't enough, the hypothermia was already past fatal levels, it was a wonder she had managed to stay on her feet for as long as she did. "Blast it Nadia!" Jay shouted, the winds catching his words and stealing them away. "Why didn't you say something, blast it!" His tears froze to his face moments after leaving his eyes. He brushed them away, not even feeling the pain of the ice tearing away flakes of his skin. It was nothing compared to what he was feeling inside. Closing his eyes, he calmed himself by repeating the mantra he'd spoken so many times. "There is no death, only the Force."

Focusing all his energy, he felt the Force gather itself around him. As the ghostly howl of the winds and the sensation of the frigid air faded, he heard Nadia's heartbeat. It was slow and faint. He could sense more of her life force slipping away with every passing second. Despair and sorrow welled up in him, but he quelled his emotions and called on the Force. He felt it answer with an influx of life so vibrant and intense he felt as if he were a newborn. All the energy of his youth came back to him, he no longer felt any sensation other than a great warmth that shone from within him like a new star. Reaching out his hands, he laid them on Nadia's prone, helpless, dying body, and let go. The life energy flooded out of him like a tidal wave. He felt it pour into Nadia and opened his eyes to see her surrounded in an aura of the purest white light. Her heartbeat quickened, returning to normal. He felt her spirit begin to stir and her presence washing over him made him want to cry, kiss her, and hug her all at once. Her eyes opened slowly and looked at him. "Nadia!" He said, his voice nearly breaking from the joy he felt. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "For a moment I thought I lost you..." He whispered in her ear as he clutched her tighter.

"Jay..." her voice in his ear had never sounded so soothing.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" He pleaded.

"I'm sorry Jay. I'm so sorry."

They sat there for a minute, just enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms. When they finally began to feel the cold again, Jay released Nadia and helped her to her feet. "Come on," he said extending his hand. She smiled and took it. When their hands touched she felt the healing power of the force flow from him into her. As long as she held his hand the Force would sustain her, Jay would see to it. They walked off into the blizzard towards where their speeder was buried. Until they returned to the ship, nothing would distract Jay from conducting the force into her. Nothing would come before her safety ever again.

* * *

Xalek paced in the front room of the apartment suite, glaring at the lift as if daring it to continue showing him what he did not want to see. His master was late. Such an occurrence was a complete anomaly. His master had never been late, not for Xalek, and not in the entire year Xalek had known him. It simultaneously worried and angered him. Did his master now believe him to not be worthy of his time? Or had he given in to weakness and been killed by someone other than Xalek? Such a betrayal was unthinkable. Only _he_ should have the honor of killing his master. As his apprentice it was not just his honor, but his _duty_ to see that his master survived long enough for Xalek to surpass him and then kill him.

With a discontented growl, he turned and walked towards the main hallway. Perhaps Andronikos could shed some light on the reason for his master's absence. Normally the ex-pirate was his master's personal pilot and substituted as Darth Nox's bodyguard when Xalek was not around. But Nox had left Andronikos behind on whatever mission he had embarked on, as Xalek could sense that the man was sleeping in the crew quarters. Crossing the hall, he suddenly sensed something in the commerce room. Turning aside from his personal quest to investigate, he entered the room to find a shapely, young human female sitting on one of the curved couches surrounding the small circular table in the center of the room. She was dressed in hooded robes of purple, gray, and black. The style was similar to that of a Sith Investigator, the bloodhounds of the Empire. Her midriff was entirely exposed, as were her arms, and on her waist sat an angular saberstaff of balanced design. The style was favored by Niman practitioners like his master, and the resemblance to his master's weapon disturbed him. Her face was hooded and covered with a golden assassin's mask. The covering resembled a character mask from ancient Sith theatre tradition, specifically of the character that often represented divine judgment or the wrath of the ancient Sith gods from the time before the first Dark Lords. But there were also curved, horizontal golden bars stretching around the mask with about an inch of space between them. The mask was of a common style among Sith assassins, particularly among the personal enforcers of Darth Aruk, Head of the Sphere of Sith Philosophy.

Wondering what this human could possibly want, Xalek approached and the young woman's masked face turned towards him. Before a word could leave his mouth she spoke, her mask distorting and hollowing her voice: "Where is Darth Nox? I'm here on behalf of Darth Aruk, of the Dark Council." She somehow believed the name carried weight with him. Xalek stopped and spread his feet shoulder width apart, clasping his taloned hands behind his back.

"My master is not here." He said firmly.

"Then summon him, I have a message to deliver to him directly from Aruk, and I've been waiting too long already."

Xalek stiffened. The arrogance. This little girl dared to make demands of not only him, but his master?

"My master will see to you when he is ready. No doubt your master's message means little to him."

"Darth Aruk is not my master." Came her incensed reply. "My master is the Emperor's Wrath, none other than Lord Demise himself. So if I were you, I'd show some more respect and inform your master that I'm here and waiting for him!"

Lord Demise? Xalek was privileged to have knowledge of the Emperor's newly appointed Wrath. His master had worked with the lord in question several times before his ascension. Not once, however, had his master mentioned that this Sith had an apprentice... Was it possible his master had not known? No. That couldn't be it. More likely his master had not seen any reason to discuss such things with him. After all it had had no bearing on his life until this moment, this...chance meeting.

"What is your name?" He asked, more calmly than his previous tone had indicated he was.

"Jaesa Willsaam." She said impatiently. Now are you going to call your master? Or must I summon him - with your screams?"

Xalek almost laughed. This little girl had a warrior spirit, even if she was brash and drunk on the Dark Side.

"As I said, my master is not here. I could not summon him even if I wanted to." That wasn't a lie. He had tried the exclusive holofrequency his master had given him several times with the same result. The channel had informed him that his master had taken his device offline. "And despite who your master is, you would do well to guard your tongue. You speak to an anointed Lord of the Sith."

"As do you!" she hissed back, springing from her seat on the couches to point an accusing finger at him, her other hand resting on her saberstaff. I may not have my title yet, but once I complete this errand for Darth Aruk I am meeting with my master to be deemed a lord. I am already a lord in all but name!"

"No, you are not a lord yet." Xalek replied, his calm and demeaning tone seeming to anger her all the more. "Until you are inaugurated you are still just an apprentice, subject to the whims of your betters."

The only warning was a primal scream as she leapt at him. In a flash of Force Speed her double-bladed lightsaber was out, the blade's color nearly shocked him for a second: it was purple. Exactly like his own. In an instant he drew his own saber and it locked with hers. He stared coolly into the dark shadows behind the eyeholes of her gilded mask. He saw her eyes, but only for a moment. They were a deep orange, displaying a perfect balance between sickening corruption and endless rage. But she was only still an apprentice, he told himself, she was merely a _Kakrinah_ : a prey beast. He was a _Gorvakah_ : the lurking predator, gaping jaws hungry for sustenance.

He smiled behind his bone mask and unleashed a burst of Force energy, throwing her back into the couches. She was stunned for just a second but was on her feet in time to dodge his whirling horizontal slash that nearly scraped the couch's back. She backed into the open area between the couches and the floor-to-ceiling windows. Without warning, she unleashed a stream of Force lightning at him. He raised his saber and blocked the lightning with it, slowly moving into the open area while shielding himself from her attack.

She stopped channeling her lightning and executed a spinning charge, combining a force-imbued leap with a twisting, spinning motion that turned her into a deadly, levitating tornado of death. She landed, her lightsaber splitting the empty air where he had been, and she growled as she looked around frantically for her opponent. He struck from stealth, dropping his cloak as he drove his saber towards her back, aiming to impale her. She quickly turned on him, twisting and arching her back to slip around his blade. Just for an instant Xalek felt something stir in him. A feeling he hadn't felt since home. Her curving body captured his attention, her navel drawing his eyes like a magnetic force. He nearly lost his head to her lightsaber as it came down from its high arc over her shoulder. She had turned her dodge into a perfect counter-attack. Thinking fast, he turned his impaling attempt into a lunge. Her lightsaber stopped just short of the floor and she pivoted 90 degrees to face her opponent, dropping into a ready position.

Jaesa felt more alive than she had in a good long while. It had been too long since she had killed something, and today seemed like a good day to start again. She charged him once more, feinting him out with a thrust to the left side and then following up with a sudden horizontal cleave that would slice him in two. To her surprise, her blade buzzed through the empty air as the Kaleesh leaped up and over her in a twisting front flip, her eyes and body following him until he landed. He charged, and she met his blade with her own, and as their weapons locked so did their eyes.

Looking deep into the catlike, predatory eyes of her foe, she saw the hatred, the anger, the rage in them. Using her gift of true Force Sight she could see them swirling inside him in vivid color. But there was one other thing... Honor. This was a warrior not just of power and skill, but honor. Just like her master. The thought brought back memories. Of the time she'd spent in his quarters, his bed. Those glorious nights when she'd had her fill of him. Then the pain, the hatred, the rage, the rejection, when he'd left her for that-that... _alien_! Screaming, she lashed out through the Force in anger, and the resulting blast blew the other Sith away from her. Despite being taken off-guard he landed on his feet with a catlike grace, and Jaesa felt a twinge of lust. He was so skilled, so surefooted, so fluid in every motion, a truly worthy companion. A fellow predator to hunt with, compete with, spar with...She caught herself and self-loathing overtook her. For an instant she had completely forgotten that he was an alien!

She shook herself to try and purge the offensive thoughts from her mind, and the painful feelings from her heart. Screaming she charged him again, determined to strike him down and end this. Her feet suddenly left the ground. She was rising straight up off the floor, her limbs flailing as she attempted to continue her assault in spite of the sudden elevation. She stopped halfway between the floor and the very tall ceiling, too far above her enemy to continue the battle. Furious, she turned her head to see who had _dared_ stop her. Then she saw him. It was Darth Nox. She felt his presence for the first time and it consumed her. Suddenly those feelings of lust she had felt for the Kaleesh became overwhelming, an unstoppable tide that threatened to drown her...but with those despicable emotions also rose her hatred and rage. Every cell in her body was dancing with raw passion, raw power. She felt stronger than she had since the last time she fought by her master's side. But despite the power that flowed through her, she felt herself involuntarily quivering like a dog in heat as the storm of amplified emotions battled for control.

"Lord Xalek." Nox's voice brought Xalek back to reality and he immediately sheathed his lightsaber, sinking to one knee in deference.

"Master." He said solemnly.

"What exactly happened here Xalek? Don't lie."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Xalek responded. "I met this young woman while seeking clues to your whereabouts, we spoke briefly and then suddenly found our..." He paused to look at the young human shivering like a leaf in the wind above him, "frustrations boiling over."

"I see." Darth Nox turned to look at the young woman. She was beautiful for a human. Her mask hid her face but Nox had done plenty of research. Information on the apprentice of one of the most interesting objects of his surveillance and intense study was not difficult to find. Most interesting however, he found, was the conflicted feelings that now threatened to overwhelm the young woman. Having never experienced his unique presence in the Force, the effect on her was devastating. Her lust for his apprentice was amusingly strong, but even more entertaining was the intense feelings of racism and hatred of aliens that battled that lust for dominance.

The whole time her eyes had not left him. She was shaking visibly, her lightsaber having fallen from her hand to the ground upon her liftoff. Nox slowly and gently set her down. Her legs collapsed beneath her and she fell to her knees. She scrambled to her feet quickly enough though, bowing at the waist in fear as much as respect. "Darth Nox." She said her voice trembling slightly.

"You seem shaken child." He said sternly. "Has my apprentice harmed you?" The young woman looked briefly at the still-bowed Xalek and Nox couldn't help grinning behind his helmet when the action caused her lustful feelings to spike. She struggled to squash them and turned back to him.

"No." Her voice was calmer, steadier. She was gaining control, but only by exertion of an immense amount of effort and self-control. Impressive, Nox thought to himself. She has the will to resist the effects of my Force Presence. I'll have to keep a closer eye on her.

"Good, now what is it you came here to accomplish...Jaesa Willsaam?" She started when he said her name. No doubt she hadn't been expecting him to know it much less recognize her.

"My lord I-I'm here in an official capacity as an envoy of Darth Aruk." Her voice was becoming stronger and firmer by the minute. "I'm here to deliver a message." Nox felt a prick of disappointment as she squashed her lustful feelings, burying them deep under her hatred as she regained control of herself. No matter, he thought. I'm sure I can find plenty of ways to make these puppets dance the way I want them too. His gaze flickered to his apprentice briefly. Yes, so many ways...

"Well, let's hear it!" He demanded impatiently.

"Of course my lord." Jaesa was in full control of herself now. "Darth Aruk wishes to inform you that Lord Zavros's conduct in the field has proven to be questionable. She constantly undermines other initiatives and even her fellow diplomats, overruling them when they attempt to go against her un-sithlike methodology." Jaesa paused for breath then continued. "Darth Aruk warns you, he will not tolerate her despicable conduct for long. If you do not teach her to follow the way of the Sith, she will learn the hard way!" Nox was silent for a moment.

"Very well. Is that all you came to do, Jaesa Willsaam?"

"Yes, my lord." She said. Not even a bow. She continued to stare straight into the empty eye sockets of his helm.

"Good. You may tell Darth Aruk, if he has a mind to hear it, that his warning was received and will be taken very seriously." Nox stopped talking and began to walk slowly towards Jaesa, who inclined her head slightly upward to keep her eyes locked on the twin holes bored into his helm. Nox spoke again as he approached, his voice much lower and sinister. "But also inform him that an attack against Lord Zavros will be regarded as an attack on me personally. If he believes her worthy of punishment, correction, or retribution..." He stopped a mere foot from Jaesa, still staring directly into her eyes. The young woman's knees nearly buckled at the sheer weight of the Dark Side on her, being as close to him as she was "that he can lay charges against her, backed by evidence, and passed through the courts of the Sphere of Laws and Justice." Jaesa was silent for a minute while she grappled with his intense presence in the Dark Side, forcing her rigid body to obey her, her rebellious lips to move.

"Yes, my lord." Her voice gave away the fact that her teeth were clenched. Xalek noted that her weapon hand was balled into a fist. As Xalek watched, the hand opened and her saberstaff flew from its place on the floor, sinking into her gloved palm, and finding its way to her waist. Without another word, she bowed her head in deference and walked around Nox to the doorway.

When he heard the lift doors close and sensed the lift itself begin its descent, Nox turned to Xalek. "Rise, Lord Xalek." The Kaleesh obeyed and, for the first time in the past few minutes, raised his eyes to look at his master. "You have the artifacts?" Nox asked.

"Yes master." Came the calm, even reply. It seemed his apprentice had regained control of his emotions as well. Pity.

"Where?" Nox demanded.

Xalek pointed to the personal storage unit his master used to store items of personal interest, belongings, artifacts, and weapons and armor of all kinds. His master walked quickly, passing the GTN Terminal on his way over to the storage unit, causing it to blink to life in response to his proximity. The storage bay dispensary in question stood there next to the dispensary for the public storage unit and the storage bay his master used exclusively for storing items pertaining to his duties as a Dark Councilor. Typing in a command on the holographic keypad, the interface soon opened and the artifacts slid out on a tray. "Yeeeesss..." His master's glee was evident. "These are precisely what I needed." Xalek could see his master was very pleased, and very eager.

"Master," he asked humbly "forgive my boldness, but what purpose will these artifacts serve?" Darth Nox turned to him and Xalek briefly wondered if he'd misspoken. His fears were eased when his lord responded to his inquiry.

"They are the final pieces to a puzzle, apprentice. A riddle that, once solved, will change this galaxy forever. The power it reveals will make the conflict with the Republic seem like a petty argument unworthy of notice."

"Master, your wisdom is beyond me." Xalek stated matter-of-factly "But is not our purpose to defeat the Republic and the Jedi? Is that not the mandate of the Sith and the Empire?"

"Yes," His master said with succulent delight. "but the greater purpose of the Sith is to acquire power. By any means necessary." His master looked down at the artifacts he held in his hands. From beneath the one-way-lenses that hid his master's eyes, Xalek could see a faint glimmer of violet light as the Dark Side expressed itself. "And with these final pieces, it is _power_ that I shall acquire."

* * *

Demise strode towards the Imperial base camp, his triumph apparent in every step. The destruction of the Republic's operations on Ilum was complete. Their supply depots had been destroyed and their Jedi general, Master Jaric Kaedan killed. The Empire's only functioning crystal mine had been reclaimed from Republic hands and was now guarded by a small army of fiercely loyal and honorable Kaleesh mercenaries. Their anti-aircraft installation was disabled and their secret weapon, the ELX-25 was nothing more than a shattered wreck. Their main base had been ravaged and their crystal stock claimed for the Empire. Admiral Shai, the military commander of the Republic's offensive initiatives on Ilum had been killed in battle by Demise himself. Even now Darth Malgus's forces were beginning to outfit the Imperial Fleet with the stealth technology that would win the Empire naval superiority for the remainder of the war.

As Demise neared the outer perimeter of the Empire's operations base, the guards saluted him. The commander that was with them bowed to him as he passed. "My Lord." Demise inclined his head in acknowledgement and continued his course, Vette scrambling to catch up to him. As they entered the base Demise found himself wondering where he would go next. Unless his master intervened with another mission, he thought he might go back to Alderaan and help tip the civil war there in Thul's favor. If the Empire controlled Alderaan, it could use it as a staging ground to assault other Core Worlds with their new stealth fleet. Despite being lost in thought, when he entered the Command Center, he nearly froze in his tracks when he heard what Grand Moff Regus was barking into the console. "I don't care what you have to do major, find Malgus, and find that fleet!"

Demise paused for a moment to let the implications of that order sink in. When he spoke, it was to form the only question that made any sense to him, his rage growing with every syllable and his teeth clenching tighter and tighter with every word. "How can you lose an entire fleet?"

Moff Regus turned and looked at him over his shoulder. His weathered face grew pale and his lips trembled slightly with fear and anger as they formed the exact words Demise did not want to hear. "Darth Malgus betrayed us."

Demise clenched his fist. The all-too familiar rage with which he had destroyed the Republic forces an hour ago swelled up in him, like a fire having been fed new fuel. So great was his anger, that he barely even noticed Vette instinctively moving slightly away from him, an unconscious habit that resulted from being a slave for most of her life. "He's taken the crystal fleet...Emperor-knows-where!" Grand Moff Regus swore as he turned back to his command console. The voice of the major that Regus had been speaking to crackled over the comm.

"Grand Moff? It's Malgus, on the holo-net."

"This better be good!" Regus growled, hitting the button to bring up the holo-feed. The holo-projector burst to life and the image of Darth Malgus, the traitor, flickered into existence. Demise's hatred for him spiked before the sound of the betrayer's voice even reached his ears.

"Fellow Sith, citizens of the Empire. Too long has the strength of the Empire been beholden to the infighting of the Dark Council, and the disappearance of an apathetic Emperor. Sith, children of Sith and warriors everywhere, I declare a new Empire! Open to all who long for conquest, freedom from inhibition, and the right to follow their passions!" Outraged, Moff Regus leaned forward snarling at the image like a territorial Akk dog.

"What does he think he's doing!" The image continued speaking, unrelenting in its blasphemy.

"The Dark Council is dissolved." Malgus declared, his arrogance only feeding Demise's fury. "Those who would join Darth Serevin in supporting me, cast aside your titles and let me lead you to victory." The walls of the command center began to shudder, as if feeling the first tremors of a groundquake. A look of concern flashed across Vette's face as she stared at her husband. Demise radiated power and rage, and his anger was starting to unconsciously manifest itself in his environment.

"Those who will not, prepare to face our stealth armada. The Emperor is gone. His station and power are mine. We will conquer the galaxy while the Emperor sleeps!" Loud cheers echoed in the background of the broadcast as Malgus's speech came to a close. Looking defeated and frustrated, Grand Moff Regus let his head fall in exasperation, and switched off the holo-projector. He turned to Demise.

"If Malgus is able to construct the stealth armada, he'll be unstoppable. I know I've asked too much of you already, but this-New Empire-can't succeed!" The derision and disgust was evident in his voice as he said those words. "I need your help to stop Darth Malgus." When Demise spoke, his voice was filled with conviction.

"There is only one Emperor, and it's not Malgus!"

"I will never bow to a usurper!" The Moff agreed vindictively. "I will convene an emergency war council, take this time to prepare for battle, then meet me in my bunker." His teeth clenched and his hands balled into fists. "Darth Malgus will not survive the day!"

Demise turned and walked out of the command center, Vette following at a cautious distance. As he walked down the hall towards the base entrance, his mind was a storm of rage, hatred, and bloodlust. How dare he...how _dare_ he! How DARE he betray the Empire! Malgus had been the Empire's greatest champion, a war hero thousands of times over! But now he was just another betrayer. No, Demise thought. Not _a_ betrayer, _the_ Betrayer! When he reached the opening to the frigid outdoors, Demise gestured violently, forming a tightly clenched fist. A nearby probe droid squealed and was suddenly crushed into a tiny, crumpled sphere of metal in an instant.

Vette looked briefly at the probe droid and back at her husband. Demise was standing there, his chest heaving beneath his armor. His breaths drawn through clenched teeth, and his rage was a palpable presence surrounding him. It was so strong Vette felt herself growing angry, but she didn't know exactly how or why...and that scared her. Suddenly, Demise stood stock still, in an instant his whole demeanor changed from furious, to a cold, empty void. Vette felt the temperature of the already frigid air around her drop even more. She shivered.

Demise reached down and pressed a button on the comm panel on his wrist, even as he brought the wrist-mounted console up towards his face. He had pressed the button to open the channel he'd thought he'd never open again, a channel only 4 beings in the entire galaxy, including himself, had access to. He was just about to speak, when he realized he didn't know what to say. His blood was roaring in his ears and his blade hungered for death, screaming for vengeance. He focused his anger, and the words came to him as easy as breathing, his voice cold, hard, and full of durasteel.

"Members of the Imperial Vanguard. The Empire has been betrayed. Betrayed by the man it once hailed as its greatest hero. None other than the very being who brought us together in the first place: Darth Malgus." He paused to recover his composure after speaking the vile traitor's name, then continued. "We cannot allow this gross insult, this...abomination to go unchallenged. It is for this purpose that I call on you, as fellow Imperials. Together, we will answer this arrogant challenge to our superiority. Abandon your power plays, your plots, assignments, and conspiracies, and come immediately to Ilum. The Imperial Vanguard assembles for the last time, and it is only fitting that our last mission should be to end the life of our founder: Malgus the Betrayer. Today, we fight for more than just survival. We fight for honor, for glory, for the Empire!"

* * *

The grey Imperial troop transport shuttle settled on the landing platform of the Imperial forward operations base. The ramp unfolded and the hatch unsealed. Lord Demise stepped out of the hatchway and descended the ramp with long, purposeful strides. Darth Nox followed close behind, the two Sith receiving immediate salutes from all nearby personnel. As they left the ramp, another figure emerged from the transport. She was a dark-skinned, slender-looking human female in her late 20's. Her red and black tempered Lamanoid armor was decorated in a camouflage pattern, putting it at odds with the grey and white environment surrounding her. A pair of AD-12 heavy blasters sat on magnetic holsters on her hips, just above the armor plates protecting her upper legs. She wore no helm, a fatal mistake for other Mandolorians, but not for her. Her refusal to wear a helm into battle was a challenge, a taunt directed at every foe she faced, a statement that they weren't good enough to merit her protecting the most vital part of her body in armor. Her beautiful face had the calm, temperate look of a being wise beyond her years. Her long brown hair was drawn back in a thick ponytail, but a lock of her bangs fell down over her face, just shy of her left eye.

A few of the Troopers stopped to stare at her as she descended the ramp, their breath catching in their throats. They'd heard rumors of the Grand Champion of the Great Hunt, but seeing her in person was another experience entirely. They believed, as they had been told, that she made ample use of cosmetic repair surgery to maintain her beauty. After all, no Bounty Hunter was good enough to avoid getting a few facial scars now and again, and Mandolorian women weren't known for being vain. What they didn't know was that, despite her lack of head protection, she had never had any facial scars. She was just that good at what she did.

The last passenger of the transport disembarked, his scalene armor reminiscent of the infamous Tonvarr pirates. The red lines glowed like sinister veins against the pitch black of the armor plating, made of a durasteel and cortosis alloy. Attached to the magnetic holster on his back, was an Indomitable Raider sniper rifle. The model was an exclusive developed by Czerka Corporation, designed for intense long-range accuracy but with the ability to fulfill the role of nearly any other type of rifle. The only way to get your hands on one was to be one of three million beings in the galaxy with the credentials and influence to purchase one directly from Czerka, or buy one off the Cartel Market. A top of the line weapon, any sniper would kill to get one. Although the likelihood of being able to kill this particular individual was, in the mind of all those present, pretty much nil.

The man was known only as the Imperial Ghost. A mysterious being of unknown origin, unmatched skill and unrivalled intelligence. Rumors said he appeared when the Empire was in the direst need, solving their problems and defeating enemies with an almost magical efficiency, then vanishing into thin air. Some said he was a Sith in disguise, others that he was scientific experiment concocted in an Imperial laboratory, and others that he was the ghost of Grand Moff Kilran, returned from the dead in physical form to defend the empire for which he had given his life.

But in truth, the man was an ex-agent of the now dissolved Imperial Intelligence. Formerly known as Cipher Nine, he had been the agency's top assassin and infiltrator for five years until its dissolution shortly before the Battle of Corellia. But even now, the Rattataki known as Xelthos still served Imperial Intelligence. Although merely a shadow of its former self, the organization had survived through the efforts of its most dedicated members and leaders. Darth Jadus had seen to that. The dissolution of the agency had been allowed because it granted its remaining members, especially Cipher Nine, an unmatched anonymity and level of secrecy with which to operate that was nearly unprecedented in Imperial history. Only the Star Cabal, the shadowy organization that had been Xelthos's most recent victim, had operated with such impunity.

Xelthos joined the others at the bottom of the steps leading down from the landing pad. Demise was addressing the group: "I know it's been a long time since we were together like this," He said pacing back and forth in front of the others, his hands clasped behind his back. "But does everyone remember their call-signs?"

"Storm" Nox responded

"Meteor" Nei'tiri chimed in

"Ghost" Came Xelthos's calm, monotone response

Demise nodded in approval and finished the recitation "Blade. Now, I know Moff Regus briefed us all at the emergency war council, but let's review the plan, briefly."

"We're to fight our way through the traitor's forces to Fort Barrow." Nox said, the bloodthirst in his voice apparent.

"Where we will secure one of the enemies stealth fighters..." Xelthos continued.

"So that we can enter the cloaked space station and..." Nei'tiri trailed off to let Demise finish.

"kill the Betrayer!" He said with rising anger. "Good, then we all know the goal. Now all that's left is to determine positions."

"I can handle heavy ordinance and medical support" Nei'tiri offered. "I can even provide assistance on the front lines if you get overwhelmed. I'll just need to tweak my shields before we leave."

"Excellent," Demise replied turning to Xelthos.

"I'll handle recon and long-range support along with tactical positioning" He said, answering Demise's unspoken question. Demise turned to Nox in expectation.

"I'll provide back up to you on the front line." Nox asserted. "I'll provide medical support only if absolutely necessary. I am not missing a moment of this battle." Demise nodded in acknowledgement and understanding. "Then we are agreed." He spoke in a low growl as his rage and lust for battle continued to grow. "Today we fight together for the last time. Today we punish the greatest betrayal the Empire has ever suffered. Today, one last time, the Imperial Vanguard brings victory to the Empire." and with that, he turned and walked towards the speeder dispatch terminal.

Minutes later, the group arrived at the trenches. Blaster bolts flew like swarms of insects, their deadly bites downing men and women on both sides. Demise reached for his lightsaber, igniting the violet blade. Nox drew and activated his weapon as well, the blade's color matching Demise's weapon. Nei'tiri drew her blaster pistols from their holsters and twirled them around her trigger fingers in a flourish. Xelthos drew his sniper rifle, deactivated the safety, switched it into active mode, and turned on the targeting system. The three's attention was suddenly drawn to Demise. He was reaching into his cloak, on the _right_ side. They watched in surprise and anticipation as he drew a second lightsaber, identical to the first, out of his cloak. He ignited it, and held the two sabers in the ready position of Juyo form.

Out of all of them, Nox was the least surprised. He had already known Demise was a master of Jar'Kai. His mastery of both the standard technique and the deadly dual-wielding technique was a rather well-kept secret, mostly due to the fact that Demise rarely, if ever, used it in battle. Very few beings that were still alive had ever witnessed Demise utilizing his dual-wielding talent. If Demise was using it here and now, then Nox had a feeling he was about to see for himself just how deadly the Emperor's Wrath was. The Sith Lord's unnatural proficiency with the technique was due in large part to him being ambidextrous, allowing him to wield two sabers of identical length and design. This in turn allowed him to strike with equal amounts of power behind both sabers, greatly amplifying his offensive potential in combat. The comm crackled to life and the voice of General Hesker buzzed in their ears: "Destroy the traitor's army, I'll cover you from the sky." As if in reply, Demise began to run towards the battle, one saber held horizontally in front of him, ready to block incoming fire, the other saber stretched out behind him at an angle to the ground. Nox watched him for a moment then followed, with Nei'tiri bringing up the rear. Xelthos watched them go, then reached over and pressed a button on his wrist. There was a soft hiss and he vanished from sight, as if he had never been there in the first place.

Demise leaped into battle, using the force to lengthen his jump and position himself in the midst of the enemy. Upon landing he swung both sabers in an arc that sliced through his first victim, a trooper whose armored corpse collapsed to the ground in three pieces. The New Imperial forces began to turn their attention from the old Empire's soldiers and open fire at him. He deftly blocked their attacks as if swatting insects, all while mowing down enemies like chattel. Nox took advantage of the distraction to kill several squads of enemy soldiers with such blinding speed that they didn't even have a chance to realize they were dead. A torrent of crimson bolts from Nei'tiri's twin blasters tore into the remaining squads, killing what few remained after the ravages of the two Sith. A salvo of missiles appeared seemingly out of nowhere, spiraling straight for Demise. Moving swiftly, Nox stretched out with the force and redirected them into the trench wall, the explosions showering the group with rock and sediment. The ice had been sublimated instantaneously, leaving a cloud of steam behind. It slowly began to envelop the group like the fog of war. Through the mist, Nox saw a six-legged insectoid shape. Within moments the artillery droid emerged from the fog, gearing up for another assault.

With a glance at each other, Nox and Demise leapt into action. They charged the droid at the same time, its targeting scanners flipped briefly between them before once again settling on Demise. Another salvo of missiles was released, but this time, both Sith ignored them. The missiles hit Demise directly and exploded. Immediately , Nox's double-bladed lightsaber flew through the air towards the droid, whirring like a buzzsaw.

It impacted the droids shields and bounced off, screeching loudly and creating sparks. The lightsaber turned in mid-air and flew back to its wielder's outstretched hands. The droid turned to face its attacker, just in time to miss Demise emerging from the smoke and fire of the explosion completely unharmed, the force coursing through him like his own lifeblood, turning his skin to durasteel. He continued his charge towards the droid as if he hadn't just run through an explosion powerful enough to vaporize a whole squad. The droid opened fire on Nox, who twirled his blade to deflect every single shot back at the artillery droid, the bolts sinking into its own shields.

From behind the droid, a series of crimson blaster bolts impacted its shields with deadly force. They came from the business end of Xelthos's sniper rifle, the laser sight trained on the weak points in the droid's shields. The agent was firing from the shelter of one of the barriers set up by the New Imperial forces, the corpses of the squad that had been using it before him lay strewn around like so much refuse, their bodies largely intact except for one or two vibroknife or blaster wounds in vital areas. With a roar, Demise leaped the remaining distance to the spider-like machine, landing on the base to which its legs were attached. Squealing, the droid tried to shake him off, but to no avail. A sudden hail of blaster bolts impacted the droid's upper shields with savage ferocity. Nox's eyes briefly followed the stream to see Nei'tiri unloading her blasters at the droid. He followed suit and unleashed a barrage of force lightning at the automaton as Demise ravaged its shields with repeated blows from his lightsabers. The droid kept trying desperately to knock him off but he stuck to it like a parasite. The droid couldn't risk shooting him at point-blank range as it would destroy itself too in the process.

Within moments, the onslaught overloaded the shield generator. Demise switched his sabers to a backhand style and drove them deep into the droid's body. His weapons pierced its nearly non-existent shields and drove deep into its core. The Sith lord withdrew his blades and backflipped off the droid as it collapsed, its 6 legs splaying underneath it. Without a word, Xelthos vanished into thin air. Nox and Demise continued carving a path towards the crystal mines with Nei'tiri followed behind, supporting them with blaster fire and missile salvos.

Demise charged headfirst into several squads of New Imperial soldiers and in a blur of motion and plasma, converted them into chunks of charred flesh and singed armor. Nox unleashed blasts of force lightning that leaped from foe to foe, electrocuting one, then three, then seven enemies. He followed his electric attacks with melee assaults, his speed and accuracy amplified by the force. Nei'tiri released salvos of missiles from her wrist-mounted launcher and coupled them with blaster bolts to create a veritable rain of fire. Together they were a storm of fury, destruction, and death that swept over the battlefield, consuming everything in its path.

* * *

Nox moved swiftly down one of the many corridors of Fort Barrow. His mind was focused on concealing his presence, both in the Force and in the mundane realm. Just in front of him and to his left, Demise crept silently along, the sight of that behemoth of a Sith stooped over might have been comical if Nox wasn't feeling more bloodthirsty than amused. Beside Nox, Xelthos was moving swiftly as well, his stealth field generator helping to conceal the group's presence in the physical world, while Nox filled any holes in the field and disguised their presence in the force. Meant to conceal only two beings within a five meter radius of the generator, the agent's field generator would have been strained past its breaking point had Xelthos attempted to keep it fully active for very long at its current range setting, which encompassed the whole group without forcing them to bunch together to tightly. However, Nox's Force Cloak ability allowed Xelthos to turn the field's power setting down while Nox strengthened the cloaking field with his own abilities in stealth and concealment. The end result was that all four of them were able to pass through the halls of the fortress completely undetected, with Nei'tiri bringing up the rear.

The group passed squads of oblivious New Imperial troops, traitorous Sith commanders barking orders left and right. Nox could feel Demise's rage burning through the Force. Forcing Demise to sneak through this den of traitors when he wanted to slaughter them wholesale was infuriating the Emperor's Wrath. But infuriating, Nox knew, was good. They might well need Demise whipped into a frenzy before they faced Malgus. The crackling of the comm and the voice of General Hesker brought his thoughts back to the task at hand. "A stealth fighter's tracking me, No...it's a command ship! He's skilled. Somebody get this scum off-argh!" The general's cry of surprise startled Nox. "Shield's out. Engines-blast! I'm going down! I'm going-!" The comm cut off abruptly and the group exchanged looks. Someone had just taken down one of the best fighter pilots in the Imperial Navy. This didn't bode well. Nox stretched out with the Force and he could feel a presence approaching, maddening in its familiarity. He remembered what Hesker had said earlier over the comm about Darth Malgus's right hand approaching Ilum.

Within moments they reached the sealed door to an unguarded hanger. With a brief look around to determine whether they were truly alone, Nox dropped his Force Cloak and the air around the group shimmered as they became semi-visible. Xelthos pressed a button on his wrist and the cloaking field vanished. The other three watched as he moved to the interface panel on the wall nearby. Within a moment, the door opened and, as one, the Imperial Vanguard strode into the large hanger. There was already a stealth fighter there, its boarding ramp extended. The only occupants appeared to be two Voss mystics, one of which was kneeling down with her back to the now open door. The second mystic stood beside her, watching apathetically as the Vanguard closed the distance. As they neared the two Voss, the female mystic with her back to them spoke: "I foresaw your arrival my lord." For a moment, Nox wasn't sure which Sith she was speaking to, but then realized it was probably Demise. The aura of rage the warrior was projecting was an almost palpable heat surrounding him. Out of the two of them, Demise was the hardest to miss right now. Demise stopped a few meters away from the female mystic, and she started to rise to her feet. "Welcome." Her words were soft, but as she turned around they could see there was no smile on her face. The cordial greeting seemed out of place considering the situation, but Nox chalked it up to Voss manners. They were almost insufferably polite, except when it came to the Gormak.

Suddenly, Nox heard the sound of ship's hatch closing. He heard footsteps descending the stealth fighter's boarding ramp and felt that familiar presence again, but this time without searching for it. He was here. The right hand of Malgus had arrived. He looked past the two mystics towards the ramp, and his eyes widened behind his mask. Now he knew why the presence was so familiar. Darth Serevin walked towards them, his strides confident and measured. He's very brave, Nox thought to himself, for a man who is about to die. "Serevin."

"Ilum is stained with Imperial blood. As we speak your army falls to the superior strength of Malgus's force." The smug look on Serevin's face and his provocative tone made Nox tense, and beside him he sensed Demise's rage growing stronger. "I'm afraid I was forced to swat down your attack squadron. Troublesome brats had the gall to bomb my base. I hope they weren't friends of yours."

"When I helped you on Voss, I would never have pegged you for traitor." Nox hissed.

"I respond to logic, as do the Voss." Serevin's snooty reply infuriated Nox even further. The female mystic interjected before Nox could launch a rebuttal.

"They seek your stealth fighter." She informed Serevin, her tone calm and measured, as if she was having a polite conversation with a few good friends.

"Thank you my dear." Serevin responded in like manner before turning his attention back to Nox and Demise. "Talsa-Ko is a Voss mystic. Soon she will experience a vision of Voss prosperity under Emperor Malgus. Then all Voss will join us." Demise's enraged reply came through clenched teeth, and came out sounding like a growl.

"The cowardly Sith will pay for assuming that title!"

"Only one vision is certain." Talsa-Ko said softly, fear beginning to show on her face. "You fought. I watched, and bowed to the victor." She turned abruptly and walked away from them, moving to a safe distance to observe the spectacle that was about to take place.

"In that case, I will fulfill your vision." Darth Serevin's eyes narrowed and locked on Demise "For the glory of the New Empire!"

It all began in a blur. Serevin moved faster than the eye could see, drawing his lightsaber, activating it, and attacking Demise in the space of a few microseconds. But Demise defended himself with just as much skill, parrying and blocking Serevin's flurry of blows with equal speed. The weapons of the two Sith became only colored streaks of light as they clashed with Force-imbued speed and strength. Nei'tiri followed his lead, beginning to open fire. Xelthos, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen. Nox unleashed a burst of lightning that was absorbed by Darth Serevin's Force defenses. He was about to begin his own lightsaber assault on the traitor when he felt the Force push him back. Resisting the attack, he whirled to glare at the aggressor. The male Voss was readying himself for another Force assault. Very well, Nox said to himself, if it's a Force duel he wants its a Force duel he'll get.

Near a cluster of crates across the hanger, there was a small pop and Xelthos appeared, seemingly out of thin air. He quickly took cover behind the crates and aimed at Darth Serevin's head. Five shots rang out in rapid succession. Serevin deflected a few of them, and the rest were absorbed by his defenses. Fortunately, none of them returned to Xelthos. That was good, Xelthos thought, it meant the Sith was too distracted to focus on deflecting them back to the source. Demise was doing his job well. Suddenly, Serevin disrupted Demise's series of attacks with a Force push. It failed to move his foe but it provided him enough time to channel a ring of dark energy in front of him and release it in a thunderous blast. The impact sent Demise reeling and Serevin used the opportunity to reach out with the Force and telekinetically rip out a few adegan crystals that were protruding from the walls. The shards of crystals launched themselves at Demise, and shattered into a thousand pieces against the unbreakable cocoon of Force power that surrounded him.

Suddenly, a probe decloaked right behind Serevin with a pop, the Sith barely having time to react before a single blaster shot from across the hanger struck the droid and it exploded in a fiery nova. It took an enormous amount of Serevin's power to shield himself from the blast. But he had no time to even think before a salvo of micro-missiles descended on him. Just as he was about to throw his saber and force them to detonate prematurely, a recuperated Demise attacked him savagely. With his lightsaber defending him from the Sith's furious assault, Serevin was once again forced to expend a great amount of Force power to shield himself from a direct, explosive hit, followed by a steady stream of blaster shots.

Nox unleashed a mighty blast of lightning that shattered through the last remnants of his opponent's defenses and the Voss mystic was instantly fried to a crisp, the charred remains collapsing to the hanger floor. Nox didn't even spare it a glance before he drew his lightsaber and attacked Darth Serevin with primal ferocity. Now fighting 2 lightsaber-wielding opponents, Serevin's desperation became apparent. In a telekinetic storm, he summoned crystal shards, empty crates, and ship parts, turning them into deadly missiles that battered the four members of the Vanguard with incredible fury. Nei'tiri activated her shield generator and was surrounded by a blue sphere of energy. Xelthos took shelter behind cover and activated a shield probe. Nox called upon the power of the Force Walk ritual and used the ghost's power to guard him from the tremendous assault. Demise reinforced the invisible barrier of power that covered him like a second skin, and the battle continued, even as the storm of projectiles intensified.

Then as suddenly as it had begun, the storm ceased. Serevin disappeared from sight with a wave of his hand, and all the airborne objects crashed into the walls or dropped to the floor with an overwhelming clatter. The hanger was completely silent except for the humming of lightsabers.

The silence was broken by Nei'tiri's scream. Serevin had de-cloaked behind her and unleashed thousands of volts into her body. The energy had penetrated her shield and overloaded the generator instantly, and her body was now racked by spasms as Serevin raised his blade to slice her in two. But Demise was upon him. The ferocity and speed of the attack was so intense that Serevin was nearly disarmed, but he made Demise stumble backwards by levitating and slamming a crate full of adegan crystals directly into his chest without so much as a gesture. The telekinetic storm began to brew again, and the scattered objects once again propelled themselves around the hanger. Serevin swapped between unleashing blasts of dark energy to stagger and stun his opponents, defending himself with his lightsaber. Blaster shot after blaster shot sank into his Force barrier, as Xelthos utilized his weapons highest firing rate pummel the weak points in the Sith's defenses. Nei'tiri, growling in anger, launched a barrage of missiles, only for them to be swept up in the storm of objects being flung around the room.

Then it happened again. The storm ceased, and Nox had to throw up a Force barrier to keep from being pulverized by a few of Nei'tiri's missiles, now unleashed on him.

The smoke and tremors of the explosions hadn't even begun to fade when Xelthos felt a spike of incredible pain fill his entire body. Blocking out the pain just as he had been taught, he drew a vibroknife from his belt and jammed it into the soft, fleshy side of the being standing right behind him. The howl of pain told him he'd struck true. He pulled the knife out just as quickly as he had thrust it in and forced his screaming muscles to move him far away from his attacker.

Nox and Demise flew past him in a blur, and he turned back to aim his sniper rifle directly at the traitorous Darth's head. The bolts were stopped by a wavering Force barrier. The two Sith could sense their prey weakening, he no longer had the energy to summon his telekinetic powers. They pressed the attack and felt Serevin's Force defenses beginning to cave under the constant pummeling he was receiving.

Nox suddenly ceased his lightsaber assaults and, with outstretched fingers, unleashed a stream of Force lightning. The energy crackled over the fading barrier surrounding the dying Sith, and began to find holes. It leaped through to sink into the pureblood's flesh and course through his nervous system, causing involuntary twitches and jerks that made defending himself even more difficult. Then, with abrupt finality, Darth Serevin's Force defenses collapsed. The Sith screamed as Nox's lightning enveloped him, draining his life force directly from his body even as it destroyed his flesh and fried his brain. Nox laughed as the jerking, scorched mess was scored with dozens of blaster holes while he drained the last remnants of life from it. The blaster bolts stopped, but the body continued to jerk like a puppet on electric strings as Nox continued to pour the Dark Side into his victim, laughing with malicious delight. When he finally relinquished the corpse, it dropped to the floor with a sickening crunch, the charred robes and flesh utterly indistinguishable from each other.

With the remains of a chuckle still on his lips, Nox deactivated his lightsaber and attached it to his belt, Demise doing the same. The Dark Lords turned and walked towards Talsa-Ko, who was kneeling on the ground where she had been the entire fight, Nei'tiri and Xelthos following behind them.

"Darth Serevin was a Voss friend." She said mournfully as they approached. "Now he is gone. I wish it had been you." She began to rise to her feet just as the comm crackled.

"This is Hesker. Repeat, this is General Hesker. Do you read me?" Satisfaction flooded Nox's mind when he heard the general's voice. He really didn't want to have to pilot this stealth fighter through the orbital warzone himself.

"There was no way Serevin could destroy the Imperial Guard's best pilot." Demise affirmed.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence."

"Inform the Grand Moff that Darth Serevin is dead, and that his stealth ship now belongs to the Empire."

"Excellent. Imperial forces are busy securing the Fort, and we've found survivors. Shall I dispose of them?" The general asked eagerly. Talsa-Ko spoke up, as if she knew that not just her fate, but the fate of many of her comrades was about to be decided. Then again, Nox thought, she probably did.

"Spare us and my people join the Empire."

Demise's response was as cold as the icy walls surrounding them.

"Leave no survivors Hesker. Anyone who supports Malgus must die for their treason."

He stepped up to Talsa-Ko, looming over her menacingly. "That includes you too."

"No!" She shrieked, raising her hands in a desperate attempt to stop the inevitable. The purple blade of Demise's lightsaber cut through them, cleanly separating her head from her shoulders, leaving the corpse to crumple to the cold floor. Demise deactivated his lightsaber, and for a moment, the hanger was silent.

"A just end for the traitors." Hesker's voice was full of steel and hate. "Grand Moff Regus already plots our next assault. Secure the stealth fighter...and prepare to slay the False Emperor."

* * *

Darth Nox sat in his seat in the passenger cabin of Darth Serevin's stealth shuttle. To his left, Demise sat seething with impatient anger, his aura of rage and hatred filling the space like a liquid. The Emperor's Wrath had only one thing on his mind: vengeance. Nox was feeling more than a little vengeful himself. Darth Malgus's betrayal had angered him as much as it would any member of the Sith Order. Malgus had been an undisputed hero of the Empire since the first Galactic Civil War, his many victories on the countless battlefields of the conflict having earned him the admiration and loyalty of many of those who served under him. Before the Sith Lord's betrayal, Nox knew many Imperial soldiers had indulged in hero-worship of the now self-proclaimed Emperor. Perhaps that is why so many follow him now, Nox thought to himself.

Malgus's relentless campaign against the Jedi and the Republic had also earned him the respect and admiration of many Sith, who aspired to reach the same heights of strength and cunning as the former Darth. Nox himself had admired the man while apprenticed to Darth Zash - not that Nox strove to be like him or imitate him in any way. Warriors like Malgus were often powerful and indomitable foes, capable of defeating great enemies and conquering unfathomable odds. But their weakness often lay in their strength itself: believing themselves to be invincible, they could be easily goaded, deceived, and steered into numerous traps or complex plots, stripping them of their strength and leaving them helpless and weak.

Nox had no desire to be weak. Notions like honor or glory through combat were a weakness not a strength: true strength came, not just from physical power and combat prowess, but through wisdom, cunning, and, ultimately, the Force. Only by shedding the bonds of morality and fully embracing, not just the power of the Dark Side, but the perception and insight it brought could one truly free oneself from all the chains that bound them, and Nox intended to break every chain that tried to restrain him. With the artifacts and knowledge he had gained, he could already feel the links of his chains beginning to strain under his growing power. Soon, he would unlock the secrets that would signal the beginning of his ascension. Soon, he would unleash a power that even Vitiate, the immortal ruler of the Sith, had failed to fully grasp. Soon, he would break the chains that kept him from his destiny and open the door to release the power of a god! Soon...

But right now, there were other matters to be dealt with. Nox still needed his power base, his seat on the Dark Council. Without the resources and authority it afforded him, his path to the future became uncertain. He could sense it in the Force. This battle was a tipping point, It wasn't just his future that hung in the balance, but the future of the entire galaxy. Everything was balanced precariously on a razor-sharp edge. This battle had to be won. He came back to himself as the shuttle began an approach vector toward one of the cloaked space station's open hangers. Nox waited until he felt the shuttle set down with a gentle thump before undoing his harness and rising to his feet. Around the cabin, the rest of the Vanguard was doing the same.

Demise, however, had risen to his feet the moment he had felt the pull of the station's artificial gravity. Lightsaber already in hand, he activated it and walked up to the boarding ramp. As soon as the ship landed and the ramp began to lower itself to release them into the hanger, Demise turned to look back at the other three members of the Imperial Vanguard, all of them now on their feet. Nei'tiri drew and twirled her blasters in her familiar flourish, Xelthos primed his stealth generator and cocked his rifle, and Nox drew his lightsaber. Slowly and deliberately, he activated it. The empty eye sockets of his skull-like helm stared into Demise's own, and he gave a slight nod. No words were spoken, none were needed. The gesture had communicated the thought that all three beings had formed in their minds in response to the Wrath's unspoken question: We are with you. Turning, Demise charged down the ramp, lightsaber at the ready, and the carnage began.

The doors of the turbolift opened with a hiss, and Demise stepped out into the empty corridor. He was followed by Nox, then Nei'tiri, with Xelthos bringing up the rear. There was no need for stealth now, everybody knew exactly where they were. As they approached the door that lead to the false Emperor's throne room, it opened of its own accord. Malgus was expecting them. Demise and the Vanguard entered the wide open room, and together they crossed the bridge that passed over the seemingly endless ventilation shaft that lead straight to the power core. On either side, members of the New Imperial Guard lined the path, a mere Force push away from tumbling into the abyss.

Halfway across the bridge, three guards stepped up to block their advance. The two on either side drew blaster rifles from their backs, and the one in the middle ignited a red lightsaber. In response, Demise drew and ignited his own lightsaber, while the rest of the group simply waited for the first move to be made. They knew Demise was more than capable of dispatching all three guards in a few seconds, they would only have to intervene once all the guards in the room descended on them. Raising his head, Darth Malgus bathed the four in his hateful gaze.

"The Emperor's Wrath. Fitting, that we meet within his chambers." Reaching up, the blasphemer removed his hood, letting it fall back to reveal his pale, bald scalp, which gleamed in the crimson light of the chamber. With merely a gesture, Malgus communicated his command to the guards through the Force, and they began filing from the room. The three guards barring the way holstered their weapons and walked around the members of the Imperial Vanguard, following their brethren in their orderly exit. Sheathing his lightsaber, Demise lead the Vanguard across the remainder of the bridge. As they neared the staircase that lead up to where Malgus was perched atop the throne, the Betrayer spoke again.

"Welcome to my throne room. So much history. So many glory days that slipped away from us." He rose from the throne as he continued speaking, folding his arms across his chest. "The Emperor is dead. Long live the new Emperor."

"You are no Emperor of mine!" Demise snarled, drawing and activating his lightsaber once more.

"Kneel." Came the derisive command. Lightning poured from Malgus's outstretched hand and enveloped all four beings at the base of the steps in a small storm of electricity. Demise sank to one knee from the pain as the rest of the Vanguard collapsed around him. The only reason Nei'tiri and Xelthos didn't become smoking husks was the Force barriers Nox projected around them. Unfortunately, his power was spread too thin to completely shield them from the storm of energy, and all three of them unleashed cries of anguish and hatred as they involuntarily collapsed into various positions of submission.

Releasing them from their torment, Malgus sat back in the throne and waited for all of them to get to their feet before speaking. "The Empire is withering away." He stated, as if it were fact. "Soon it will be obliterated by decadence and antiquated ideals. Yet still you struggle to keep it from healing. Don't you see? Our survival demands a new Empire, tempered by alien alliances and strengthened by tolerance."

"The Empire is already rife with weakness." Demise said accusingly. "If you invite further incompetence, your Empire will be doomed." He punctuated his point by crossing his arms in defiance.

"You're as blind as the Grand Moff." Malgus said, his anger growing as he rose from the throne once more. Reaching out, with both one hand and the Force, he triggered a button on a nearby console, causing multiple alarms to sound and a computer generated warning to be issued.

"Emergency warning: Power core override engaged. Self destruct initiated."

"Malgus the Betrayer," Demise roared, his endless rage building to a peak. "In the name of the Empire, I will destroy you!"

Malgus said nothing, he merely took one step towards the edge of the elevated platform upon which the throne sat, then suddenly jumped off, landing with a thunderous boom at the top of the steps. "Die, or defeat me." He snarled, his face contorted in a look of pure, unadulterated hatred. "Either way, the Empire is reborn." He charged forward, leaping off the top of the steps and sailing through the air to land at the bottom of the steps, within lightsaber reach of Demise. The shockwave from his landing sent Demise, Nei'tiri, and Xelthos all stumbling back, their balance momentarily robbed of them by the concussive shockwave of Malgus's force-assisted landing. Nox, however, remained completely stable. The shockwave simply passed around him, breaking over him like a wave over a rock. Demise recovered his balance and drew his lightsaber as the False Emperor roared a battle cry:

"For the new Empire!"

Demise swung his saber in a rising slash intended to sunder Malgus's chest plate straight up the middle, but the False Emperor's blocked it and parried Demise's blade to the side, moving in for a vicious, angular strike. Demise parried in turn and moved into Soresu, blocking, parrying, and deflecting Malgus's attacks. Nox moved behind Malgus with force-assisted speed and dexterity as Xelthos and Nei'tiri opened their blasters on Malgus. The False Emperor didn't seem to feel them, his Force armor absorbing them as if they were merely raindrops. Nox attempted to impale him from behind, and the deflection he had expected came: Malgus swung his lightsaber around behind his back to bat away Nox's blade, then continued the move to bring it back around in front of him to continue his assault on Demise. Volley after volley of blaster bolts were unleashed at him to no effect, occasionally he would deflect a few back at their source and personal shields would flare in response.

"I hear the Grand Moff is calling me "Malgus the Betrayer. Tell me, did my deception sting?" Malgus taunted them, the malicious smile he wore beneath his respirator bleeding through in his tone. Demise continued to hamper and engage Malgus while Nox continued his attempts to assault him from behind, but Malgus's lightsaber was everywhere at once, parrying, blocking, deflecting Nox's strikes while keeping Demise under constant pressure, forcing him to maintain his defenses. Suddenly, Malgus leapt into the air and slammed down on the duracrete floor, using the Force to create a shockwave of concussive force that knocked Demise and Nox back. Whirling on Nox, Malgus gestured and Nox felt an overwhelming wave of Force power slam into him. He resisted, and for a moment stood firm, but Malgus applied even greater effort, and Nox found himself flying up the steps, thrown by the power of the Force. He impacted the throne's support column, cracking it. His force armor protected him from most of the blow, but the sudden loss of velocity stunned him briefly. Malgus charged up the steps after him with Demise in hot pursuit.

Nox's pain was minimal, but his hatred and anger rose up in him like a dark tide, and he brought his lightsaber up just in time to meet Malgus's charge. Adding elements of Soresu into his technique, he deflected Malgus's blows, punctuating his movements with bursts of Force lightning while using the Dark Side to sap the strength from his foe. He could feel the darkness building in him, and he released it. A river of purple-tinged lightning erupted from his fingertips, temporarily overwhelming Malgus and forcing him to cease his assault in order to maintain his Force defenses. Even so, Nox could feel his dark lightning sapping the False Emperor's vitality. Malgus defended himself admirably from Demise's lightsaber assault while under the power of Nox's lightning, but that was all he could do, defend. Nox ceased his Force attack, reverting to lightsaber strikes as Nei'tiri and Xelthos reached the top of the stairs and put the pressure on. He could sense Malgus weakening, already his defenses, physical and in the Force, were beginning to wane. Nox continued to batter the Sith's force defenses with lightning and dark power, even as he coordinated his lightsaber strikes with Demise's entangling maneuvers. Malgus leaped up and slammed down again, almost knocking Nox off balance once more, but the Dark Lord managed to stand firm. Demise wasn't even affected. It seemed like he didn't even notice.

"I haven't enjoyed myself this much since the Sacking of Coruscant!" Malgus roared in malevolent delight as he threw himself into the battle with renewed vigor. Demise's defenses began to fall and the attacks of the rest of the group became seemingly irrelevant. Summoning the Force, Demise let it fill him completely, and he became impervious to pain, exhaustion, and weakness, invincible in the face of Malgus's assault. But it wouldn't last, Nox could sense the Force power Demise had invoked was already running out, and Malgus made no sign of ending his barrage of deadly strikes.

"Rancor formation!" He barked into his comm as he leapt at Malgus, trying to take some of the pressure off of Demise so the Wrath could catch his second wind. In his enhanced perception, he saw Nei'tiri switch out the gas cylinders in her blasters and Xelthos begin activating his cloaked probe droids. Soon bolts of gaseous Kolto flew across the battlefield with pinpoint accuracy, each one sinking into Demise and Nox as they juggled Malgus's unending fury between them. Probe droids burst from stealth, fired adrenal-laced kolto darts into their targets, then vanished without a trace. The Sith felt their strength return even as they expended it, and after a quick, full-body scan of Demise, Nei'tiri began to target problem areas for greater effect. Malgus's defenses continued to evaporate even as his rage grew, taking his strength with it.

Suddenly, a wave of rising Force power erupted from the False Emperor and lifted the two Sith off their feet. Malgus levitated into the air, lightning crackling around him as he tapped into the well of unlimited power that was his anger. Nox got to his feet and, seeing what was coming, erected a Force Barrier. Demise tapped into his own source of unlimited power and shrouded himself in a cocoon forged of his undying rage. Nei'tiri cranked her shield generator to full power and the familiar blue barrier materialized around her. Xelthos activated his shield probe and hunkered behind his portable energy barrier that he carried for instant cover. The burst of power that was unleashed was unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. The support column of the throne cracked in half and the seat collapsed to the ground with a crash. Railings warped and broke, computer terminals overloaded instantly, and Nei'tiri and Xelthos were thrown back.

Malgus charged, descending on Demise like a storm. Their sabers began to blur as Malgus strained to pierce his foe's defenses, while Demise struggled to maintain them. "Impressive" Malgus admonished "But it won't be enough." Suddenly, sparks flew as Malgus's lightsaber struck Demise's beskar armor. The lightsaber resistant metal protected Demise from the deadly weapon, but the force of the blow temporarily knocked him off balance. Malgus pressed the attack, landing several more blows on the somewhat dazed Demise. Before he could land a fatal strike however, his force defenses took a powerful blast of lightning. A disproportionate amount of rage rose up in him, and he whirled and charged at his attacker: Darth Nox. "I should have killed you on Ilum when I had the chance!" Malgus growled as Nox expertly deflected his blows, relieved that his two-pronged Force assault had worked. A blast of lightning had redirected Malgus's force defenses, leaving him vulnerable to the subtle influence of Nox's mind control. Even so, his will was strong enough that Nox could only manipulate his emotions for a brief moment, but that was enough. Suddenly, a saber strike caught him on the shoulder. The thick armor that protected it and his own force defenses deflected the blade but it surprised him enough to disrupt the flow of his movements and allow Malgus to land a vicious series of Force-imbued blows on various parts of his body. His cortosis-lined robes and armor plating protected him from the worst of it, but he was damaged and shaken by the assault. He cursed himself for allowing distracting thoughts to weaken him. He desperately parried a second combination and was relieved to see that, behind Malgus, Demise was already rising to his feet, a hail of kolto bolts showering him in recuperative energy. Within moments, Demise descended on Malgus and the two Sith renewed their assault.

Suddenly, Demise felt a seed of doubt begin to take shape in his mind. Their opponent was still weakening, yes, but his strength seemed endless. Even with all four of them the Betrayer was able to resist, was it possible he was more powerful than them? Maybe he truly deserved to be Emperor...the thoughts overwhelmed him and he ceased his attacks. Malgus had turned to fight Nox, who was enveloping his foe in dark lightning, stealing the False Emperor's strength to feed his own. Watching Malgus simply continue to attack Nox despite the tendrils of dark energy siphoning his force power, Demise's doubt fully blossomed into despair. How could they beat him? He was too strong, too powerful. He would kill them all and destroy the Empire with his power, it was hopeless. "Enough games!" roared Malgus, and suddenly all three of Demise's allies were pulled into the air by a mass Force Choke. The fog of despair thinned, and Demise realized he was alone, with Malgus charging towards him, lightsaber ready to tear him to shreds. Gripping the handle of his own weapon more tightly, Demise engaged the enemy. Parrying Malgus's quick thrust he felt rage beginning to cut through the shroud of doubt and fear as he realized what had happened. Malgus had tried to mind control him, to make him give up by surrendering to the despair the Betrayer had placed in his mind. Malgus began to execute a series of vengeful strikes, and Demise's fury approached its peak. He blocked and parried his opponent's blows effortlessly, launching counterstrikes that weakened his enemies force defenses and occasionally struck armor.

Parrying a blow, he suddenly twisted his weapon in a move that temporarily threw Malgus off-balance. In that split second, Demise unleashed his rage. The power that had been welling up in him burst out in a storm of lightsaber combos and acrobatic attacks that put Malgus purely on the defensive. In the space of seconds, Demise launched more attacks than Malgus had in the past few minutes. His blade was untraceable, moving so fast it seemed only to be a stream of violet energy, striking Malgus many, many times from all directions. The Wrath himself was only a black and silver-gray blur that surrounded his foe almost like an aura of pure vibration. It was impossible to tell where he was at any given time. His own vision blurred and darkening with the lack of air, Nox watched the battle with a greedy interest and deepening envy. He knew if he had the power Demise possessed at his disposal, he would make far better use of it than the Wrath. He would be totally unstoppable. Even as he felt himself begin to lose consciousness, he vowed he would acquire the power the Wrath possessed, no matter the cost. Suddenly, the choke lapsed and Nox was mercifully dropped to the ground to collapse to one knee. Catching his breath, he looked up to see an exhausted-looking Malgus battling Demise, who was no longer moving at impossible speeds or leaping around with the dexterity of a being less than half his size.

Once he had caught his breath, Nox charged Malgus, whose defenses were even weaker now, and continued to assail his foe with the Dark Side and powerful bursts of lightning. Malgus's strength waned like a fading apparition, evaporating as he desperately expended more and more of his strength trying to end the battle before it ended him. "Vornskr formation!" Demise barked into the comm, and Xelthos and Nei'tiri effortlessly switched into a full-on offensive, showering Malgus with a hailstorm of blaster fire and various explosive ammunitions and projectiles. The False Emperor's defenses began to disappear, and Nox felt their enemy's spiteful hatred growing alongside his desperation. Malgus extended both his hands, erecting a full-on Force barrier as agonizing lightning poured from his fingertips to envelop Demise. "Your fleet is doomed" Malgus gasped "and with it, the Old Empire." Discovering that lightsaber strikes, blaster bolts, and projectiles had no effect on the barrier, Nox reached out with Force, and pushed. Not Malgus, but the barrier itself.

Malgus went flying, he sailed down the steps and barely managed to land on his feet. He once more unleashed lightning towards Demise, who was now charging down the steps towards him. The Wrath took the attack, using the pain to feed his anger and his anger to feed his power. He Force pushed Malgus from the bottom of the steps to the edge of the bridge, only a few meters from the yawning chasm, and was on top of him before he could move. Nox unleashed his dark lightning, watching with glee as the Force barrier was drained of the power Malgus reinforced it with. Then, with absolute finality, the barrier collapsed. Demise rammed his full body weight into Malgus, sending him stumbling back towards the very edge of the bridge, the hungry maw of the ventilation shaft stretching out below him. Rage rose up in the Emperor's Wrath, and with it came power. Behind his mask, his lips twisted to form a word so full of hatred and anger that when he spoke it, the Dark Side amplified the sound waves of which the word was formed into a shockwave of concussive force.

"DIE!" Demise roared. The kinetic blast slammed into Malgus with an audible boom. Organs ruptured, bones broke, his face twisted to the side even as it was crushed and mangled by sheer force. The broken and dying body of Darth Malgus, the False Emperor, fell back, plummeting into an endless fall down the ventilation shaft towards the station's power core. Demise ran to the edge to watch the body vanish into the depths, only reacting when Darth Nox's voice came over the comm, speaking to General Hesker. "It is done. Darth Malgus is dead."

"Thus the False Emperor is dethroned." The general declared. "I won't let you join Malgus in death, hurry to the hangars, I'm coming for you!" Explosions were ringing out all around them as the multitude of the station's systems destroyed themselves. The members of the Imperial Vanguard shared a moment of jubilant triumph, before sprinting for the door.

* * *

Demise sat wearily on a cluster of crates back at the Imperial Operations base. The entire ordeal had left him exhausted. The battle of Ilum had been arduous enough, but the subsequent battle with the Betrayer had left him utterly drained. His mind recalled something his master, the Emperor, had once said to him. "Revenge drives and burns with bright intensity, but it is a mortal fuel that leaves the tank bare." For the first time since that day, he wondered if drawing on his rage and anger to seek vengeance against his enemies wasn't as great a source of power as he believed. Perhaps the desire for revenge offered only temporary power that, once used up, would leave him weak and helpless. But then what was the source of eternal power? As he sat, lost in thought, a pair of footsteps approached him.

"Lord Wrath." The speaker's slow, lingering tone left no doubt as to who he was. Looking up, Demise confirmed what he already knew.

"Darth Nox." He said in response. "What is it you want?"

"Want? You wound me, Lord Demise. As a member of the Dark Council, a leader of the Sith and of the Empire, I want for little."

"Don't waste your political machinations on me." Demise growled. "You and your kind always want something, now spit it out."

"Relax." Nox said calmingly. "You are right, I do want something. I want the Empire to emerge from this...catastrophe not only intact, but stronger than before." He gestured to the groups of officers milling about the base. "The Imperial people deserve to see their society flourish, but that won't happen without help. The Empire is vulnerable. We lost a great many of our forces at Corellia, and Malgus's betrayal forced us to expend a great many resources as well as troops." He turned and looked at Demise, who had tensed upon hearing the Betrayer's name. "I have a vast network of spies, informants, resources, and assets at my disposal. I gather more information on a daily basis than nearly any other individual within the Empire. I would be willing to share some of this information with you, in the interest of preventing something like this from ever happening again."

The thought gave Demise pause, preventing another Ilum before it even happened? He had to admit, the prospect was tantalizing. "I'm sick of all these Sith and Imperials who constantly divide the Empire." Nox spat hatefully. "If we are to defeat the Jedi and conquer the Republic, now is the time for unity. There will be plenty of time for infighting and posturing once the Republic is ours and the Jedi are nothing but a memory. Yet still the Sith have an easier time uniting against each other than against our universal enemy!" Nox's disgust and hatred were obvious, and admirable.

"I wholeheartedly agree." Demise said, pleased to hear such words from a member of the Dark Council. "You believe with my power and position, and your network of information and resources, we can preemptively stop cancerous threats like this to the Empire before they have a chance to spread."

"Indeed." Nox affirmed.

"So you are proposing an alliance?"

"Of sorts." Nox said thoughtfully. "Not a political one. These potential enemies must not know of our mutual involvement or it will ruin the element of surprise. But the discreet exchange of information should be more than sufficient in helping to guide you towards the greatest threats to our security." Demise considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"I find your loyalty to the Empire admirable." He said honestly. "It is such a rarity among the Sith these days." Nox was about to speak, but Demise cut him off with sudden anger. "But," he cautioned "if I find out you are playing the old games, if I find out you are merely manipulating me for your own gain, then you will suffer torment the likes of which you have never experienced. I am the Emperor's Wrath, I answer only to our supreme Lord and Master. Should I find out you are working to subvert his will, as many have before you, I will ensure you come to complete, and absolute ruin."

Somewhat angered by the outburst, Nox suppressed his emotions, burying them deep so that they could fester and strengthen his hatred. "But of course." He said in supplication. "I would expect no less. Traitors to the Empire must be cut out like a cancer, there is no other way." He paused, then said "I look forward to bearing up the Empire with you, Lord Demise." With that, he turned and began walking towards the shuttle that would ferry him to the orbital space station, where his ship awaited. Lord Demise watched him go, wondering just what this new development heralded for himself, as well as for the Empire.


	3. Chapter 3: Killer

**Chapter 3: Killer**

Peace is lie, there is only passion

Through passion, I gain strength

Through strength, I gain power

Through power, I gain victory

Through victory, my chains are broken.

Nox knew all about chains. A slave since the age of three, he had spent most of his life bound, shackled, and restrained. The masters had come and gone, like the seasons passing by, but the chains had always remained. He remembered the oath he had sworn: when he first set foot on Korriban. With the harsh desert winds blowing hot on his skin, the sun beating down on him in an unforgiving blaze, and the sensation of being as immersed in the Dark Side as a fish at the bottom of the ocean, he had vowed to do whatever it took to never be in chains again.

He had nearly despaired when he discovered that the Sith were as much in bondage as anyone else. Paranoia, honor, bloodlust, death, all were chains that the Sith unwittingly bound themselves with. The manacles were cushioned, and the links gilded, but they were chains nonetheless. But Nox would not remain bound, he refused to be. Only through ascending in power, far beyond that of his peers and rivals, could he break the chain of fear. Only by rising above the burden of morality and conscience, could he break the chain of honor. Only by conquering his carnal urges and being the wielder, not the weapon, could he break the chain of bloodlust. Only by shedding the mortal coil, and donning the mantle of immortality, could he break free of the last and greatest chain: death. It was only through power that he could break every chain that bound him: Power undeniable, power unspeakable, power unstoppable, power absolute.

Other Sith also sought power, but they sought it out of greed and desire, lusting after it like a lover. Nox did not lust after power, he thirsted for it. He did not want power, he _needed_ it. He needed it as much as he needed air, like plants needed rain, like the galaxy needed gravity to hold itself together. Only through constantly increasing his power, constantly ascending, could he ever be truly free.

Gathering the Force to him, he bent it to his will and let the power swell up within him. It became a rising tide of darkness that surged against the restraints that kept it barely in control. Reaching out with the Dark Side, he seized upon the essence of the prisoner chained at his feet. The Twi'lek screamed in pain as Nox unleashed the darkness in a mighty wave, trying to bind their souls together through the Force, to make the helpless being nothing more than an extension of himself, a vessel. The Dark Side, wild and savage, ripped into his victim's soul like a rampaging storm. Nox could feel himself straining as he tried desperately to control the unnatural powers he had summoned, but he was losing his grip. The Force began to shred and devour the essence of his victim, like a ravenous beast feasting on a kill. Nox could no longer hear the being's tormented screaming, so great was his focus in trying to reign in the power of the Dark Side, but try as he might he could not control it. As the foul energies shredded the Twi'lek's essence Nox felt a sudden spike of energy, but before he could react he was hit by an enormous blast of power, the wave lifting him off his feet. He had barely enough time to erect his Force armor before he was slammed into the stone wall with a resounding boom. He dropped to the ground, somehow able to land on his feet and not topple over onto his face, feeling as sore and bruised as if he had been trampled by a herd of Banthas. He knelt on his hands and knees, once more prostrate before the power of the Dark Side.

Utilizing the dark art of corruption, he repaired the minor damage to his internal organs and bruised muscles. Sinew and organic matter twisted beneath his skin, causing it to ripple and bulge as if there were living creatures moving around just beneath it. Dead tissue regenerated as if infected with a cancer, cells multiplying at unstable rates to replace the dead ones. The process through which the damage was repaired was even more painful than the damage itself, but in a different way. Even as Nox felt the damage to his body being repaired by the same unholy forces that had inflicted the damage, he felt a small part of himself die, the price that the Dark Side demanded. The branch of sith sorcery known as corruption allowed the practitioner to repair the body, but at the cost of the soul. Every time the power was used, it exacted a toll, feeding on the very essence of the practitioner in order to power the unholy restoration, corrupting that essence and consuming, piece by piece, whatever light remained in it. Those who practiced the art could live very long lives, but by the time entropy surpassed their ability to regenerate their dying tissue, there was nothing left of the being they had once been. They still had their mind of course, but the fires of passion that had once burned within them were all extinguished...leaving only the seething coals of a deep, abiding hatred. They were unable to feel anything else.

Nox of course, didn't care. He did not plan on ever weakening let alone dying, not now, not ever. He would use whatever means were necessary to achieve his goals, regardless of what it cost him. Getting to his feet, he inspected the place where the subject of his experiment had once been. There was nothing left, not even a scrap of cloth. The explosion of raw power had vaporized everything: flesh, bone, fabric, even metal and armor. Nox was surprised that he himself was relatively unscathed. It seemed the explosion had been exponentially more intense at the source, accounting for the subject being completely disintegrated while he was left mostly unharmed. The Twi'lek had been a Sith, an apprentice who had failed his master one too many times and been imprisoned for it, awaiting sentencing. Nox had pulled a few strings and managed to make the prisoner fall through the cracks, vanishing into obscurity. Not that anybody would have cared enough to look for him, but Nox wasn't reckless: he wanted to leave as few clues as possible for any potential rivals or enemies. His plan was still in the early stages and he couldn't afford to have even a single being be aware that something was going on.

Moving towards the table he had wisely bolted to the stone floor, he stopped to gather the various holocrons that the explosion had scattered around the area. Once he had acquired them all, he returned them to the table and reorganized them. He picked out the one in which he was recording his notes and activated it:

"Project 00941, day 3. Today's experiment was a significant failure. I could not control the dark forces involved and they tore the subject to shreds. The resulting explosion was deadly but highly focused. The subject was vaporized while I remained mostly unharmed."

He paused for a moment to reflect on the data. "I believe the problem lies in the control rites of the ritual itself, they appear to be inadequate given today's results. I will have to improvise my own or find significantly stronger but compatible rites to replace them which will, unfortunately, take time and effort." He stopped to draw a breath before continuing.

"However, these results are somewhat promising. Despite the unintended consequences the base elements of the ritual appear to be bonding well. The Force Walk ritual structure isn't causing linear polarization between the elements from Tulak Hord's Essence Transfer and the Force Child ritual, although the extracts from Terrak Morrhage's Force Plague appear to be quite unstable within the structure, hence the need for stronger control rites." Stopping briefly, he began to consider something.

"My main concern," he continued, reaching up to stroke the metal chin of his helm while thinking out loud for the benefit of the holocron "is that substituting stronger control rites will induce repressive failure in the third and sixth elements of the Force Child ritual. These elements are meant to be implemented slowly over time, and I am forcing them to accomplish entire weeks of work in mere minutes." He returned the hand to his side and his attention to the holocron.

"But hopefully once the control rites are in place the Force Plague will provide the infectious nature that is needed to create such a complex bond structure in such a short amount of time. I believe the cancerous effect of the Force Plague elements will accelerate the development of the Force bond beyond normal parameters." He reached out with the Force, ending the recording and deactivating the holocron. Satisfied with his notes on the day's experiment, he placed the device among the others and turned towards the steps in the corner of the room, leading upwards.

Reaching the door at the top, he unsealed the lock he had placed on it, exiting into the dark, stone corridor, resealing the door behind him. Turning, he walked down the eerily silent hallways, winding his way through the confusing maze of passages towards the central chamber of the Dark Temple. He had discovered this secret room himself, only a week ago, while attempting to research the Emperor using the knowledge and artifacts within the Temple grounds. It had taken only a standard day to set up the hideaway as a laboratory for his experiments, and the strength of the Dark Side within the temple made it perfect for testing dark rituals. The general chaos and darkness surrounding the area would shroud any violent reactions within the Force, reactions like the one he had experienced today.

As he began to draw closer to the main corridors, he began to encounter the possessed beings that wandered the temple. Rather than face the annoyance of dealing with them he slipped into the Dark Side, concealing himself, and moved between the hordes of ghoulish minions like a phantom. As he walked he began to lose himself in thought. Either he needed to find better control rites for his ritual or create his own, but he simply wasn't confident enough in his skill as a ritualist to try the latter. Although that option would allow him complete control over the specifications, creating Force rites of such power and with that level of complexity required a mastery of the art that only came from years of intense study. Nox had mastered many of the Sith arts in his brief five year career, but ritualism was not one of them. He could, of course, procure the services of an appropriately competent Sith ritualist, he knew that his fellow Dark Councilor Darth Vowrawn was a master of the art, but bringing anyone else into this would mean he would have to kill them to cover up his secret after they had given him what he wanted and any ritualist skilled enough to perform the task would also be well-known enough to be missed, and Nox couldn't risk any suspicions being raised.

That meant his only option was to find compatible rites. No easy task, even for Nox. While control rites for bonding rituals were some of the most resilient and powerful rites in Dark Side ritualism, the rites of the rituals he had combined were not enough. He couldn't simply add more, as there was limited space within the ritual structure for control rites. If he wanted to just add more rites he would have to extend the time needed for the ritual from hours to days, and he couldn't afford that.

Minutes later he was soaring high over the landscape on his personal speeder, an Aratech Nethian. The streamlined shape of the vehicle cut through the air like a vibroknife, speeding his return to Kaas City and the Citadel. Where, he wondered, could he find control rites for a dark side ritual that would be compatible with four different rituals, one of which was thousands upon thousands of years old? Then the thought struck him. Rites from particularly ancient powerful Rakatan rituals could be exactly what he was looking for! Such rituals should be old enough to be compatible with all four of the separate rituals he was combining, and if the rituals he acquired them from were powerful enough the control rites would be more than up to the task. Behind the grisly visage of his helm, a sinister smile split his face. The speeder roared over a bridge, flying straight towards the dark towers of the city that loomed menacingly through the mist.

* * *

Jay-Li sat motionless in front of the computer terminal in the Jedi Archives. He'd been there for the past four hours, painstakingly researching the artifact he'd seen Lord Xalek acquire in the cave on Melenor. It was not easy going, the holocron's existence seemed to have never been discovered or recorded by the Jedi, and Jay had spent most of his time chasing red herrings and meeting dead ends. He was about ready to call it a night. Just one more article, he told himself. If I don't find anything worth pursuing I'll save it for tomorrow. Distracted and bored, he glanced outside; it was nighttime. The vast Tythonian landscape was dark and motionless except for the lights of the Twi'lek camp, and the more distant fires of the Flesh Raider camps in the foothills. Despite the quiet and serene beauty of it all, Jay couldn't help but feel a vague sense of unease. The Force too, felt dark and silent, but this darkness wasn't a symptom of day or night, but something more unnatural and disturbing.

Shuddering slightly, he turned his attention back to the screen, opening an article at random. As he skimmed the sentences, one suddenly caught his eye: The holocrons of Terrak Morrhage's knowledge were never found, although theories suggest the Sith may have hidden them in multiple systems across the Bolemian sector. Jay-Li sat frozen in his seat for a moment as a faint sensation of recognition stirred in his brain. He quickly typed "Bolemian sector" into the search bar and waited impatiently for the results to load. When they did his suspicions and apprehension only became stronger. The Bolemian sector was an ancient name for an area of space bordering on part of the Tion Hegemony. It's ancient borders had once overlapped with the modern borders of the Black Spiral, of which the Melenor system and all the previous systems Lord Xalek had visited were a part.

The implications of this discovery disturbed Jay to his core. Not again, this couldn't be happening again. The last time this power was unleashed upon the Jedi, it had nearly caused a galactic-scale catastrophe. Resolve hardened his face and put a steely glint in his eye, it wouldn't happen again, he would see to it. He would hunt down Lord Xalek and retrieve those holocrons no matter what it cost. He couldn't allow the Sith to unleash such a devastating weapon on the Jedi, it was his duty as the Barsen'thor. He remembered then that Lord Xalek served under a very important Sith. He couldn't quite remember who it was, but he seemed to recall it being someone close to the Dark Council, a Darth. He rapidly typed in his request and in moments, the terminal spit back some information, but nothing helpful. Apparently nobody in the Empire or Republic seemed to know exactly who Xalek's master was. In a determined panic, he continued to furiously research the Sith Lord, delving deep into nearly forgotten sections of the Archives database in his quest for the truth. After another hour of searching, he found what he was looking for; an SIS report written by a now-deceased operative that had been embedded in deep-cover. The report held a detailed profile on Lord Xalek. The Sith had been captured by the Empire in battle and taken as a slave before being sent to Korriban. As Jay scrolled down the page of information he stopped short when he saw the name of the Sith Lord into whose service Xalek had graduated from the Sith Academy. Xalek's master was Darth Nox.

Jay leaned back in his chair, rubbing his tired eyes with one hand as if he was trying to clear them, to rid them of what was obviously a hallucination, brought on by stress and fatigue. When he lowered his hand, he found with mounting fear that the name was still there; Darth Nox. This couldn't get any worse. The holocrons of Terrak Morrhage, possibly containing the knowledge of his Force Plague, may have just found their way into the hands of the one member of the Dark Council who would know how to use them. This was very, very bad.

For a moment, he just sat there staring at the screen, not knowing what to do. Finally, he removed a data stick from one of his many pockets and downloaded the article and the rather limited profiles of Lord Xalek and Darth Nox into it. He was exhausted, he would be of no use to anyone like this. He needed to rest and meditate, to commune with the Force, before he decided on his next move. Jay-Li didn't know what exactly his future held, but he was now absolutely certain that these two Sith were about to become a very large part of it.

* * *

Xalek stepped out of his ship and into the familiar miasma of the battlefield. The smell of smoke and ash hung in the air like a veil, and the sounds of distant explosions, roaring fighter engines, and cries of pain filled his ears. Through the Force, he could sense the sheer scale of the death and destruction spreading across this world, and it made him hungry to be a part of it. Behind his bone mask, his fangs bared themselves, aching to sink deep into the flesh of a worthy foe. On his hip, his lightsaber seemed to be trying to leap into his hand so he could feed it with bloodshed and agony. As he descended the ramp, he took a look around at the ruins of the ecumenopolis that was Detrimos.

Many of the great towers and soaring structures that had once marked the world as the "Imperial Coruscant" had collapsed in on themselves, some were slowly burning, and others were completely leveled. Entire blocks were now just craters filled with solidified metal slag and powdered, fragmented duracrete. The experience reminded Xalek of his time on Corellia, fighting by his master's side in the Kaggath that had seen Darth Nox take his rightful place on the Dark Council.

Detrimos was, without question, the largest Imperial population center. Billions upon billions of beings called the tiny planetropolis home, despite the fact that it was only considered a planet because it had its own orbit around the system's primary, and was just barely large enough to hold a small asteroid moon in its gravitational grip. But over the course of its thousand year reign, the Empire had turned the small planetoid into a planet-wide city that rivaled Coruscant in its splendor, capacity, and vision. Construction had been going on for nearly a millennia without stopping, with a new layer being completed every century or so. Imperial engineers had discovered ways to continue expanding the planet's size through construction without compromising structural integrity, and so the Empire continued to expand Detrimos's living capacity through a building cycle that saw the city forever rising towards the sky. Gravity generators spread equally across each layer provided added stability to the structures and allowed the planet to expand its atmosphere as the dark gray towers continued their eternal ascension.

Despite its proximity to Dromund Kaas, Korriban, and Ziost, the war hadn't come to Detrimos until the supposed death of the Emperor. A rebel faction had been hiding here, gathering strength, influence, and followers. Upon the apparent death of the Empire's monarch, the emboldened rebels had struck, catching the Empire off-guard. But the rebellion had been swiftly put down by the much more efficient and organized Imperial military. On the brink of extinction, the remaining rebels had reached out to the Republic. As it turned out Supreme Chancellor Suresh had been merely waiting for such an excuse to attack the planet, and she promptly ordered a full-scale invasion. Millions had died in the first battle, and millions continued to die as the destruction raged across the city-world's surface. Upon the invasion, the lower levels had been sealed and now received supplies from heavily fortified imperial base camps on the upper levels. Those upper levels however, were collages of carnage and devastation. The civilian population had been decimated in the initial assault, with the survivors being whisked down to the safety of the lower levels, so most of those dying on the planet's surface were soldiers. Even so, the sheer scope of their deaths invigorated Xalek.

He drank in the suffering, destruction, and death as he walked into the building that now served as the Empire's base of operations. His master had sent him here, but given him no instructions other than to utilize his talents and skills to benefit the Empire in any way he saw fit. The command was somewhat strange, Xalek was used to specific and direct missions, ones where his goals were clear. This mission, however, seemed to be less of an assignment and more like...a test. The realization began to dawn on him. His master must be testing him, to see if Xalek had the vision to lead the Empire as a Lord of the Sith. He wanted to see if Xalek was truly worthy of the title Darth Nox had bestowed upon him. Xalek's confusion turned into steely resolve; now he understood, he knew the mission. He would lead the Empire to victory here on Detrimos and prove to his master that he was worthy of the mantle of Dark Lord. His anticipation grew as he realized something else; There weren't many other Sith on Detrimos, most Sith were spread out across the galaxy fulfilling personal vendettas or ravaging the Empire's enemies, and the few that were on Detrimos were likely of low rank, mere apprentices or lords of very little influence. That meant that with his rank and position as the Hand of a member of the Dark Council, Xalek was likely the being with the most authority on the entire planet! The thought filled him with bloodlust and pride. He held all the power here, he would single-handedly turn the battle for this planet around, and then his master would recognize Xalek's true worth, his true power.

He was still reveling in his newfound authority when he entered the office of Moff Tralyk, the leader of the Imperial operations on Detrimos. He strode into the room with an air of confidence and power, approaching the Moff to stand, feet shoulder-width apart, with his hands behind his back. The Moff noticed his entrance and rose to greet him. "My Lord." She bowed respectfully and came out from behind the large desk she had been hunched over moments ago. She came within a few meters of him and stood at attention, "What can I do for you my lord?" She asked sincerely. "We're a little stretched for resources right now but if there is contributions we can make, I'll see that it happens."

"Actually Moff," Xalek replied "It is I who am here to help you."

"My lord!" The shock and relief on the woman's face was gratifying to Xalek. "We are so honored that one of your stature would lend us your power and guidance."

"As it should be." Xalek said solemnly. "I will be taking command of operations here, and I will be leading those operations in the field." Xalek paused before making a final declaration "From now on, you answer to me."

"Of course my lord." Moff Tralyk bowed again. "What would you like to do first?"

"I require a status update." Xalek said, somewhat impatiently. "I cannot take control of the war effort here unless I know the situation."

"Not so fast!" A familiar voice called from behind him. He turned to see Jaesa Willsaam, exactly as he had last seen her in his master's penthouse on Dromund Kaas. She strode into the Moff's chambers with the same confidence with which he had entered them. "You're not taking command of these forces, I am!" Xalek felt familiar passions rising within him.

"You couldn't handle all this." he said snarkily.

"I've handled much bigger." she replied evenly.

Xalek looked her up and down. "Somehow I doubt that. Your slim, delicate figure suggests you can't handle anything of substantial size."

Jaesa crossed her arms under her chest. "I assure you Lord Xalek, that I can handle anything you can throw at me."

Moff Tralyk coughed once. The two Sith lords turned to look at her. "Pardon me my lords, but shall we get on with the business at hand? I can fill you both in, then you can decide amongst yourselves who is taking command of what."

"A fair solution." Xalek admitted and turned his attention back to the Moff, "Please Moff Tralyk, begin your report." Xalek felt Jaesa move up behind him as the Moff brought him up to speed about the war effort on Detrimos. He was mildly surprised when she didn't attempt to stab him in the back and instead moved off to the side and listened to the Moff's report.

"Our most recent efforts have been focused around disrupting the Republic's front line." The Moff said. "But they have proven to be incredibly resourceful and careful. They've fortified themselves in the industrial sector, using the facilities there as shelter. They've rigged up structural defenses and have a superior tactical advantage. Our forces suffer heavy casualties with every assault." Xalek held up his hand to stop her.

"Tell me Moff, why have you not attempted to infiltrate their bases?"

"We have my Lord," She said respectfully "But they have some kind of prototype stealth detection tech that rips through cloaking fields like paper. Our operatives get shredded whenever they try to enter."

"So you've resigned yourself to attempting a siege? A war of attrition?" Xalek asked, disappointed.

"Yes my lord, it seems to be the only option available to us." Xalek shook his head in exasperation. Soldiers, always so shortsighted.

"It is a good thing I am here, Moff. You said the entire Republic front is hunkered down in the industrial sector?"

"Not the entire front my lord but a significant portion of them, the remainder of the Republic's front guards the territory they've claimed. Normally we would take advantage of this and launch assaults to reclaim that territory, but if we do that we leave ourselves completely exposed to an organized attack from the main front in the industrial sector, and if they successfully destroy the orbital shield generators for this sector, the Republic can launch orbital strikes on us at their discretion."

"There are no Imperial ships in orbit?" Xalek questioned incredulously.

"None capable of engaging the Republic fleet my lord." The Moff replied sadly. "The entirety of the Imperial fleet is occupied defending the rest of the Empire from the Republic." She paused, a mournful look on her face. "We're on our own I'm afraid."

Xalek seemed to consider this a moment, then he spoke again. "Who is the commanding officer of operations in the industrial sector?" He asked.

"Lieutenant Falimore." The Moff replied. "He's been commanding the assaults on the sector and is currently preventing the Republic from repositioning their troops."

"Tell him to expect me. I will be arriving there shortly to end this ridiculous waiting game." Xalek turned to Jaesa. "Now Lord Willsaam," he said "as far as the matter of command is concerned I would say we both are on equal footing here. You and your master are outside the normal chain of command, which means I cannot exert authority over you. You however, also cannot exert authority over me because of who my master is." He gestured to the Moff without taking his eyes off Jaesa. "But since we both have the right to command the armed forces here, I propose we share command, and merely stay out of each other's way."

Jaesa seemed to consider it a moment "A fair proposal, but I'd much rather duel you to the death to see which of us deserves to take authority over operations here."

"And waste valuable time and effort that should be expended against the Republic?" Xalek questioned incredulously. "Surely you are not so shortsighted Lord Willsaam." He grinned behind his mask at the well of emotion that rose up in the young human woman at his insult.

"Fine" she growled. "But don't you dare interfere!"

"Same to you." Xalek replied, a satisfied smile on his face. He turned and walked out of the office, a plan already beginning to form in his mind. He was so occupied with his own thoughts, that he failed to notice that Jaesa had turned to engage the Moff in conversation after his departure.

"So," Jaesa said with bloodthirsty eagerness. "Tell me about the Republic's defenses."

* * *

Nox sat cross-legged on the floor of his laboratory, watching as the mindless zombie before him moved awkwardly through the series of movements he was telepathically instructing it to perform. A failed Sith acolyte taken from the Korriban wilds, the now enslaved human woman performed the motions slowly and spastically, but still, she was performing them at a mere thought from Nox, with not even a word leaving his lips. His ritual was coming along well. The control rites he had found were working, but as he had feared they had caused repressive failure in some of the ritual's elements. That meant he would have to find more specific rites that were better designed for this sort of ritual. Still, his progress was substantially promising.

As he watched the acolyte he allowed himself to slip into a meditative trance, and he began try and pull inspiration from the Force on how he could hide his true plan and movements within the Force from the Jedi, the Sith, and the Emperor all at once. It would not be easy, both the Jedi and Sith had eyes everywhere and the Emperor had a habit of knowing things that no one else did. _Still_ , Nox thought, _there must be some way to distract all of them_. Distraction, misdirection, and deception were his greatest weapons here, he would need to employ all of these concepts in abundance in order to deceive most of the greater galaxy and hide his true purpose. _I need to manufacture a threat to galactic security_ , he thought. _No, several threats_ , he amended. _The entire galaxy needs to be so busy panicking and fighting that they don't have the time or the resources to consider all the factors and put the pieces together. I also need to create a precedent for my plan to succeed, he realized. If I'm to accomplish my end goal I need the citizens of both the Empire and Republic to be in a certain state of mind_.

But how to create these threats? And how to do so while shrouding their true nature as mere distractions from the perceptive, prying eyes of the Jedi and Sith? The thought puzzled him and he turned the problem over and over in his mind, searching for a solution. After a few minutes of deep thought, a small seed of an idea sprouted in his consciousness. The Jedi might well sense his plans, although he had taken precautions of late to prevent anyone from discovering his machinations through the Force, and might even now be preparing for the Dark Side to be suddenly loosed upon the galaxy. _If that is what they expect_ , he thought, _then perhaps I should give it to them_.

A smile broke across his face as he followed that line of thought. He'd give the Jedi exactly what they expected, and the Sith would be so busy fighting amongst themselves or taking advantage of the Jedi's distraction that they would fail to notice his manipulations too. Of course as a member of the Dark Council he could take even further steps to ensure his plans remained completely hidden from the rest of the Empire, and even his fellow Dark Councilors. Suddenly he frowned, that left the Emperor.

Nox had no illusions about the Emperor's capabilities or intellect, Vitiate had more than proven his power and foresight over the past thousand years of Imperial history. Deceiving him would be extremely difficult, and infinitely dangerous. If the Emperor discovered Nox's plans before they were brought to fruition Nox had no doubt he would suffer a fate far worse than death at Vitiate's hands. The Sith Emperor would judge him a threat, or worse, a fascinating specimen. Nox had no desire to become the subject of one of Darth Vitiate's experiments, so he had to figure out a way to deceive the Emperor along with the rest of the galaxy.

 _Well_ , he thought to himself, _let's just assume that, for the sake of caution, Vitiate can see through any shrouds, veils, or illusions in the Force that I can erect. If that is the case then the manufactured threats cannot be false, they must be really and truly real. They cannot merely be facades that don't pose any threat at all, they must be genuinely capable of succeeding. That means I will have to manipulate a counterbalance into the proper positions to stop these real threats at an appointed time, as the success of any of these distractions will mean the likely failure of my overall plan_. He frowned and stroked his chin, manipulating the Republic was difficult, but doable under the circumstances his ritual would provide. Manipulating the Jedi might prove...more strenuous than that. It would be no easy feat to manipulate the entire Jedi Order, he would need to be very careful in his dealings. The slightest mistake could lead to complete exposure and subsequent, catastrophic failure.

But the counterbalance...the counterbalance he would need to stop these diversionary threats before they could harm the very plan they disguised, what could it be? What could he use? Who could he use? Would a single individual do? Perhaps Supreme Chancellor Suresh? Jedi Grandmaster Satele Shan? What about using Republic Special Forces, the Republic Navy, or some combination of all of these? He shook his head to clear it. _I'm thinking too complex_ , he chided himself. He thought back to the lessons Darth Zash had taught him, one in particular rang out in his mind:

"Many Sith try to create complex and convoluted schemes by intertwining and melding various plans simultaneously." He heard his old master's voice as clear as if she were once more standing in front of him. "This is the path to destruction," she had warned "the best and most complex plans are forged from the most simple beginnings, with one thread providing a foundation for subsequent threads. By focusing on one aspect of the overall plot at a time, and building off of the foundation first, followed by winding that thread around the others as needed, you can create schemes so incredibly complex that no one will be able to decipher what is really going on until all the wheels are in motion and the point of no return has been crossed."

 _Exactly_ , thought Nox, _I must begin with the foundation; the diversionary threads must build off of the foundation first, and each other second. The counterbalance can only be chosen once all the other threads are in place, and I have a clear vision of what must happen_.

He brought his mind back to focusing on the diversions, they had to be genuine, but just being real wouldn't necessarily distract Vitiate if Nox's movements in the Force could still be sensed. Nox had to somehow disguise the machinations for his true plan in the diversions he would create, _but how_? He thought. _How can I_...then it came to him, suddenly and without warning, as if placed there. The thought had a distinctly foreign feel to it, and Nox's consciousness briefly resisted the thought as antibodies might fight off an infection, but the thought remained.

He would be the distraction, the diversion. He would become the very threats to galactic security that he needed to create. If his influence and manipulations were ingrained on galactic events and his Force signature imprinted everywhere across the galaxy, no one could ever separate the diversions from the true plan. The thought struck him as completely mad, but it set it roots in his brain and as it spread and expanded, he began to see the method in the madness, the order in the chaos. It was insane. It was ludicrous. It was absolutely brilliant.

The ancient stone walls of the Dark Temple echoed with the reverberating sound of Nox's malicious, triumphant laughter.

* * *

Jay-Li moved quickly over the desert sands of Tatooine, his feet a blur that kicked up a storm of sand and dust behind him. The Force propelled him forwards, enabling him to move as fast as any speeder bike. As he neared his destination however he slowed to a walk, allowing the power of the Force to fade from his body. He arrived at the peculiar rock formation that marked the location of his target and sank into the Force, vanishing into the shimmering air. Now invisible, he surveyed the sight before him with a meticulous and thorough eye.

The complex consisted of two constructs, both of them of standard design for Tatooine; single-floored, flat roofed, square buildings painted white so as to reflect as much light and, subsequently, heat as possible. The thing that differentiated this complex from the millions just like it across the planet was that it was swarming with Mandolorians patrolling the base in loose but effective patterns. But it wasn't so much the mercenaries that concerned Jay, rather what awaited him inside those buildings: according to SIS reports, this small complex was one of Darth Nox's safe houses. The Dark Lord was believed to have dozens, possibly even a hundred of them scattered across the galaxy. He no doubt intended to use them as a way to hide and recoup should his power base suffer a blow that left him vulnerable.

Jay wasn't here to damage Darth Nox's power base however, not yet at least. He was here on a hunch: he believed that as a safe house, this complex would likely have access to Darth Nox's restricted network, which the Sith used to pass encrypted data to his allies and minions, or to store secrets that he wanted to keep especially safe. All Jay had to do was infiltrate the complex, find an access terminal, then slice in to the network with the special date spike he'd gotten from Tharan. Then he could find out what Nox was up to, and find a way to best prepare for it. If Nox intended to use the knowledge in Terrak Morrhage's holocron, Jay needed to find a way to stop him before the madness began.

Memories came flooding back to him, unbidden. He saw Master Yuon's face, twisted into a terrifying expression of malice and hatred by Terrak Morrhage's Force Plague. He saw Laranna Fain, tormented and driven to madness. He saw Parkanas Tark, proclaiming himself to be Lord Vivicar, his features darkened by the spirit of Terrak Morrhage possessing his body. Jay-Li shut his eyes and banished the painful visions. He thought about how he had saved them, even Parkanas. How grateful and relieved they had been to be free of the ancient Sith's power. He felt the light within him grow and envelop his mind, strengthening his resolve and restoring his focus, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Moving like a shadow, he swiftly slipped past the Mandolorian guards, heading for the closest building. If he couldn't find an access terminal there he would have to check the second one. Entering the doorway, he suddenly sensed someone approaching from inside the building. He threw himself to the wall and fell deeper into stealth, the Force wrapping him in its embrace to make him completely indistinguishable from the very air surrounding him. Even a Force user standing right next to him would sense nothing. A Sith warrior in grey armor appeared from the building's interior, walking right past him down the short hallway and out the door. Jay breathed an inward sigh of relief and relaxed, fading partially back into the mundane world. He was still invisible, but not undetectable.

He moved deeper into the building where two rooms awaited his inspection. He found the access terminal in the circular one that seemed to serve as an office. He emerged from stealth, plugging the data spike in and waiting patiently while it attempted to decrypt the network's security. After a few minutes of soft whirring, sparks flew from the port where Jay had inserted the data spike. Jay flinched in response to the sudden outburst and stared at the terminal, then removed the spike and inspected it. It was ruined. Frustration began to nip at him but he squashed it and returned the spike to his robes. That Sith from earlier was, in all likelihood, the one in charge here. He would have access codes to the network, no doubt. Jay would simply have to take them from him. Slipping back into the Force, Jay moved silently out of the room and headed for the exit. Moving from the cool interior of the building to the blazing heat of the outdoors caused him to momentarily flinch, making his Force cloak waver ever so slightly. Jay froze, inspecting the guards for any sign that they had noticed him. If they had, they gave no sign. If anyone had seen what happened, Jay reasoned, they probably dismissed it as the effect of the heat.

Satisfied that his cover was intact, he moved towards the second building. He was surprised to see a mercenary standing directly in the doorway, fully blocking the portal with his bulk, preventing any entry. It was almost as if he knew there was a stealth operative loose in the camp and was trying to prevent them from entering... _No_ , Jay decided, _that's not likely_. _If he knew I was here he would have alerted the entire camp and they would be scouring the place for me. In all likelihood it's a safety measure to attempt to thwart infiltrators like me. Now, how to get past him_? Jay thought on the problem for a moment and considered his options. Within seconds he had made a decision: he gestured with his hand, reaching out with the Force as he did so. He reached into the man's mind and planted a thought there. Shifting suddenly, the man left the doorway to peer out at the rock formations to the west, as if looking for something. Jay took advantage of the distraction. Calling on the Force to assist him, he dashed forward in a burst of speed, and was through the doorway and inside the main building before the guard returned to his place seconds later.

Sensing the presence of the Sith in the living quarters section of the building, Jay moved stealthily into the barracks. The Sith was deep in discussion with a mercenary at the far end of the room, while a group of three Mandos played cards at a small table in the corner. Two women and one man, Jay noted. The Mandolorian that the Sith was talking to was also a woman. He supposed their gender didn't matter though, they might end up dying in the next few minutes. He didn't relish the thought of killing them, but it was unlikely he would be able to disable them without causing serious harm. He took a deep breath, centering himself in the Force. He felt the warm, empowering light fill him from head to toe. He felt his strength gather, and he knew he was ready.

As Jay decloaked, the Sith whirled around and drew his lightsaber in one fluid motion. The dark warrior had sensed the Jedi's attack only moments before it happened and reacted preemptively, even so, he was too slow. In a blur of green plasma Jay severed the hands of all the card players, slicing the table into scorched splinters in the process. The cries of pain from the three mercenaries fed the Sith's power and he reached out with the Force to try and slam Jay into the wall. The attack succeeded only in causing Jay to stop moving in order to resist the push. His robes fluttered briefly from the kinetic wave, then stilled. Surprised at his opponent's fortitude, the Sith charged nonetheless. Jay met his attack with ease, falling into his favored Soresu-laced variant of Niman. The female mercenary the Sith had been talking to drew a blaster pistol, but before she could fire Jay reached out with the Force to yank the blaster from her hand and send it flying into the opposite corner.

The woman didn't give up. She drew a vibroblade from behind her back and charged towards him. Suddenly she was thrown back by a Force push that knocked her into the wall, causing her to slump to the ground and lose consciousness. Jay realized with surprise that the Sith had been responsible. Stretching out with his instincts, Jay quickly came to the realization that the Sith and the woman were lovers, the man had been trying to protect her by preventing her from fighting the Jedi Master. A noble gesture, one Jay would not have expected of a Sith. Ducking to avoid a massive swing from the bigger man, Jay retaliated with a sharp crosscut the forced his opponent into a defensive position. Bringing all of his focus into the fight, Jay pelted his opponent with multiple attack chains that seamlessly melded with Force attacks to create an offensive that quickly overwhelmed the Sith. Using the Force, Jay brought its oppressive weight down on his opponent, seeing the man's reactions become incrementally more sluggish, as if he was submerged in a liquid that was slowly solidifying. The man tried valiantly to defend himself, becoming more and more desperate as he realized just how outclassed he was.

His lightsaber movements became jumpy and erratic, and Jay batted away the attacks like they were pebbles. Within moments, Jay severed the man's arm and his opponent collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain. Jay leveled his lightsaber at the man.

"Give me the access codes to Darth Nox's network"

The Sith spat. "Go to hell Jedi scum!"

Jay sighed, lowering his lightsaber. "Very well, remember that you brought this upon yourself." He reached out with the Force, extending his awareness towards his opponent's mind. He felt the Sith trying to resist him, and he applied more pressure. But the Sith's will was strong, and he was bolstering his mental barriers with his hatred and rage. Jay-Li centered himself and drew more heavily upon the Force, eventually pushing through the mental barriers.

"Get out!" The Sith growled "Get out of my head! Kriffing Jedi filth!" He clutched his head in his remaining hand, convulsing under the mental strain of trying to resist the intrusion.

Ignoring the man's hatred, Jay searched the corridors of his consciousness for the information he sought. Finding it, he retreated and the man collapsed to the floor, released from the mental hold Jay had held him in. Jay shook his head regretfully.

"If you had given me what I asked for this unpleasantness could have been avoided."

The Sith snarled at him. "Typical hypocritical Jedi. You attacked us first! Whatever happened to your precious diplomacy!"

"Would you have given me what I wanted without trouble had I simply asked nicely?" Jay inquired, although he already knew the answer.

The Sith's face became even more twisted with hate. "Never!" He hissed.

"Then there you have it." Jay said, turning and walking towards the door.

The Sith reached out and called his lightsaber to his one remaining hand. The moment it impacted his palm he launched it in a spinning arc aimed at Jay's neck. The weapon suddenly stopped dead in mid-air only a hair's breadth from Jay. Suddenly the crimson blade deactivated, and the Sith realized with impotent fury that he wasn't in control of it anymore. He watched with rage and horror as his weapon shattered into a thousand pieces that dropped to the floor in a heap, even the synthetic crystal had been broken. Jay turned around and extended a hand. The Sith felt blackness begin to overshadow his mind, then the darkness of sleep took him.

* * *

Nox strode purposefully through the ruins in the area of Belsavis prison known as Section X. Around him, constructs of both the Rakata and Republic lay in various states of disrepair. Fences that were easily ten feet tall were mere decoration, as they had long since been cut through or broken in areas where beings had wished to pass. Rakatan vaults were no longer sealed, and the bestial cries of their contents, now spread across the region, were evidence of the threats one would face should they brave the wilds of Belsavis.

Nox wasn't concerned. Alone, he was more than capable of dealing with any beast he might encounter here. Despite the Rakata's experiments, their test subjects would still be mindless animals and easy to outwit, and besides that, he wasn't alone. Behind Nox, seven feet of raw, force-resistant muscle kept pace with him. The Dashade's name was Khem Vaal, and he was Nox's oldest and most trusted companion. But Nox didn't trust Khem out of kinship, compassion, or honor, he trusted Khem because the Dashade simply wasn't intelligent or dishonest enough to be a threat to him. This quality, more than any other, made him an extremely useful tool. It allowed Nox to bring Khem on secret missions with no fear that the Shadow Killer would talk about what he had seen, secret missions such as this one.

Nox had come to Section X to search for knowledge that could lead him to control rites that were compatible with his ritual. The Rakata had hidden away many things on Belsavis, not just prisoners. Under Nox's orders, the Imperial Reclamation Service had discovered many artifacts of the Infinite Empire on the prison world. This was why Nox now believed that he could find the knowledge he sought, or at least clues to its whereabouts, here.

Currently, Nox was heading towards one of the old vaults that the Republic had opened and was currently investigating. The Jedi had kept strict control over the vault, so the Empire had yet to discover any of the secrets it might hold. Nox was certain that it would have something he could use, why else would the Jedi have guarded it so closely? Arriving at the vault, he made himself and Khem Vaal vanish with a wave of his hand. Quickly and silently, the two made their way carefully through the tunnels of the vault, investigating every passage, room, and the artifacts and technology they contained, taking great pains not to disturb or alert the archeological crews or their Jedi supervisors. Turning a corner, Nox saw they had reached a dead end. A little disappointed, he realized they had scoured the entire vault without finding anything of significance. A brief flash of anger sharpened his focus and renewed his resolve, he would simply have to go back through the vault again. He turned around and headed back towards the previous room, with Khem trailing along just behind him. After thoroughly investigating three rooms, Nox discovered something of interest in a tiny alcove that the archeologists and the Jedi had completely ignored.

It was a small, square panel embedded in the wall, the same size, shape and color as the surrounding stone blocks, but Nox could faintly sense a fraction of Force power in it. Extending his reach, he touched the panel with the Force. The panel slid about a centimeter into the wall, and a rune engraved on it began to glow a soft, subtle red. Nox could sense that the Force alignment of the panel had changed, for it now emanated low undertones of Dark Side power. Nox waited for something else to happen, but nothing did. Suppressing his frustration, he moved on to the next room, only to find a similar panel in an almost identical alcove in the passageway. Activating it, he saw that the rune was different than the last one. It seemed they spelled out some sort of code or sequence in a language he didn't recognize as being the dialect of the ancient Rakata. Quickly, he scoured the vault and found three more panels in identical alcoves, all of them with a different rune engraved on them. Upon activation of all five panels, he found they deactivated, and realized that what he had suspected was true; they needed to be activated in a specific sequence. He spent the better part of a standard hour attempting different combinations. He could sense Khem growing hungry and restless, and his own frustrations were gradually mounting. If he didn't solve this riddle soon, either he or Khem would end up killing someone and blowing their cover.

After what must have been his twentieth attempt, he stopped and found a secluded spot to meditate. Drawing upon the Dark Side, he felt the power coursing through the vault. Ancient technology that drew power from the Force had been stored here, and despite the efforts of the Jedi and Republic to remove or destroy it all, the power still remained. Expanding his awareness, Nox felt the five panels spread throughout the vault. He felt their connection to the vault and their alignment to the Dark Side. Focusing on each of them in turn, he eventually realized that each had a slightly different Force signature. Recognizing the value of this discovery, he focused even more intently on them, and understood that they weren't just a sequence, they were a word. Although the meaning of the runes escaped him, he now understood what order the switches had to be activated in.

He moved with the haste of a child on Life Day morning, somehow maintaining his Force Cloak over him and Khem despite his distracted excitement. Upon activating the last switch, which was in the alcove nearest the very isolated "dead end" he had encountered before, a door appeared in the wall, the stone vanishing into floor. Eager but wary, Nox maintained his Force Cloak as he and Khem entered the portal. They moved out of the narrow passageway and into a room twice as big as any of the others. The floor, ceiling, and walls were completely covered in runes and script in the language of the Rakata. Upon closer inspection, Nox realized he had found more than he could have ever hoped. The entire room was a secret store of Dark Side knowledge.

Nox busied himself recording, skimming, and scouring the texts for the information he sought. For a while he found nothing promising, until he accidentally brushed against one of the characters with his hand and it lit up with the same soft red glow as the key panels that had opened the door to this room. Recognizing the letter as a part of the Rakata's sixth alphabet, he quickly found and activated the other letters belonging to that alphabet that spelled out the same combination he had used to enter the room. He couldn't help but smile when, upon completion of the task, he felt a subtle trembling in the ground. Turning to the center of the room, he watched in triumph as the panel in the very center of the floor slid aside and a red datacron rose on a pedestal from the secret compartment. He walked towards it, watching in fascination as the waves of red light rippled across the walls, ceiling, and floor. He could feel the great power of the Dark Side contained in it, and he knew the Jedi had felt it too. Now revealed, the datacron was emanating raw power. There was no time to lose, the Jedi would be here soon, following the dark energies to their source. Nox knew he could destroy them easily, but he wanted to test this datacron's power right now. He turned to Khem.

"The Jedi are coming, hold them back at all costs. Kill them if you must but I'd prefer they be left alive when I awake."

"Duu shaa, ilnuk vas depaa shuna ouone." Khem replied with a bow of his head, moving towards the narrow hall the led to the rest of the vault, drawing his massive, two-handed vibroblade as he went. The vow had been something to the effect of "They will know the fear and terror of darkness, master". Nox had to admit even he didn't fully understand what the Dashade was saying sometimes. The Force always gave him vague impressions that, combined with his limited knowledge of the Dashadi language allowed him to understand the Shadow Killer more often than not. Usually what Khem said didn't matter, conversations between them were few and far between, and their relationship mostly consisted of Nox giving orders and Khem following them.

Turning his attention back to the datacron, Nox extended his hand, reaching out to touch it. The moment he did, darkness fell over him.

* * *

Iliyander Jax was as shocked as the rest of his Jedi colleagues when the wave of dark energy swept over them. After the emergence of the strong Dark Side presence that now filled the vault, the Jedi supervisors from the various archeological teams met in the final room before the dead-end passage from which the dark energies emanated.

"Three of us will go in first," Master Tanlak was saying "the rest will go in behind them, with Graalig and Rali acting as support."

Iliyander glanced over at Rali, who was listening attentively to Master Tanlak, when she noticed him looking at her, she smiled back at him. Iliyander smiled too, before turning back to Master Tanlak to avoid exposing their exchange.

"I will be in the front line with Garen and Demik," The blonde-haired human Jedi master was saying. "The rest of you will follow behind and protect Graalig and Rali while they support us. Any questions?"

Iliyander looked around. There were nine Jedi present, the other two had been dispatched to escort the archeology teams to safety. He felt confident that even a member of the Dark Council would have a tough time defeating all of them. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder if what they were about to face was something more dangerous than a Sith. He'd heard the stories of what kind of powerful monstrosities the Rakata had sealed away on Belsavis, and despite his curiosity as to the source of the Dark Side power, he hoped it was the evil he knew rather than one he didn't.

"Good!" Master Tanlak said. "Let's move." He turned and marched towards the passage, following the scent of the Dark Side. Iliyander trailed after him with the rest of the Jedi knights. Upon reaching the dead end, they could see a narrow passage had been opened, and that a panel on the wall had a glowing red rune engraved on it. Careful not to move into the view of whoever or whatever might be on the other side, Master Tanlak stopped short of the doorway. Garen and Demik moved up beside him. Master Tanlak whispered a few words to them and made a few gestures, and they stood shoulder to shoulder behind him. Master Tanlak turned to the group and signaled that they should move two by two down the passage, as it was far too narrow for them to all pass through at the same time. Then he turned back to the passageway, and charged into it.

Garen and Demik followed in hot pursuit, along with the rest of the Jedi group. Iliyander couldn't see what awaited them on the other side thanks to the four Jedi and Master Tanlak in front of him, but he could feel it. The raw power of the Dark Side washed over him like a tidal wave. He felt an intense urge to vomit, but managed to suppress it and continue the charge forward. Then, as they reached the passage's end, he saw it. A monster the likes of which he had never seen. It stood taller than Master Tanlak, easily seven feet, possibly even eight. It's skin was the color of dried blood, lined with white tattoos. It's muscles were enormous, it looked strong enough to rip him in two. It wore silver armor that protected its shoulders, legs, waist, and the back of its nearly non-existent neck. It's thick, bulging arms ended in cruel, three-fingered, talons. In those talons it gripped a massive vibroblade, easily as long as a lightsaber and three times as wide. It had a lamprey-like mouth full of fangs for teeth, and it's eyes...Iliyander would never forget those eyes as long as he lived: deep reddish-orange slits full of hatred, malice and something else: hunger.

Iliyander felt sick. He wanted to run, to get as far away from here as possible, and take Rali with him. But he suppressed his fear by reciting the first line of the Jedi Code: There is no emotion, there is peace. He calmed down just in time to get a grip on his senses as he burst into the room with the other Jedi. The monster had already met Master Tanlak and the other Jedi that had been front of him in battle. Despite the fact that it was facing overwhelming odds, the monster seemed to have the upper hand. His massive bulk brought a tremendous presence to the battlefield, and Iliyander was even more shocked to see Master Tanlak attempt a Force push, only for the monster to remain completely stable and unmoved. It retaliated with a large, sweeping blow that severed Garen's head from his shoulders, and forced Master Tanlak and Demik to duck. Iliyander watched in horror as the creature opened its twisted jaws, and he felt the spirit of Garen scream. He saw a ghostly white energy drift off of Garen's headless corpse and flow straight into the creature's gaping jaws. All the while, Garen's screams echoed in his mind.

The whole event took only a few moments, but when it was over, Iliyander felt as if he'd been standing there, frozen in shock and fear, for hours. The monster had eaten Garen! His attempt to restrain his emotions failed utterly, and he was unprepared when the creature loosed a burst of dark energy that expanded like a dome around it. Caught in the blast, Iliyander felt his body grow deathly cold. Looking at his hands, he saw they were pale and nearly translucent. His veins had become blackened and corrupted, and he felt weak and alone. He realized that the Dark Side was eating him alive. Using tremendous effort, he turned his head to look at Master Tanlak. Miraculously, the Jedi master was still on his feet and fighting, although he too looked sickened and pale, and seemed to be growing weaker by the second. Iliyander could feel the Force being drawn out of his own body, as if the creature was feeding on his very essence. His strength was fading quickly, and he felt the end drawing near. With the last of his strength, he turned his head to see Rali. Her once beautiful face was like his, pale and covered with blackened veins that marred her once perfect features. She lay unconscious on the floor by the entrance. No not unconscious, Iliyander realized, dead.

He felt the void closing in, sounds became more muted, and his ability to feel vanished. The stone floor beneath him fell away, and he surrendered to the eternal darkness.

* * *

Darth Nox awoke with a start. He was standing with his arm outstretched, still touching the datacron. The knowledge that the ancient device contained had been copied into his memory. Hundreds of hours of memories and learning filled his head, only they weren't his memories. Regardless, he now possessed the knowledge that the datacron held. He turned to see Khem Vaal with eight dead Jedi surrounding him, only one of the group was still alive. The once strong, healthy human was now utterly weak and powerless. Khem had fed on his essence to bring him to the point of near death, but as Nox had ordered, he hadn't killed him. Approaching his servant, Nox gestured to the bodies strewn about on the floor, several of them missing limbs or heads.

"Why didn't you keep them all Khem?"

"Nuu shaap etidey, ho suman gaan." Khem replied apologetically.

Nox was surprised, "Really, they couldn't even withstand one blast?"

"Hapugan." Khem replied.

Nox dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. "Then they wouldn't have been useful anyway."

Internally, Nox was concerned. If Khem had been able to defeat these Jedi with such ease, that could only mean his power was growing, and at a rate Nox himself had failed to recognize. He would have to be more careful around Khem, the memory of the promise the Dashade had made to him so long ago rang out in his mind. Khem had swore to one day devour him, and despite the monster's oath to serve him unto death after Nox had freed the Dashade from Zash's spirit, Nox felt more confident in the strength of his companion's hunger than his honor.

None of that mattered for the moment however, as he still wanted to test this ritual. Standing before the kneeling Jedi, his hands began to move in strange and eerie patterns. The Jedi, too weak to do anything but watch, stared at him with hollow eyes. After a few seconds, Nox finished the rites and unleashed the power of the Dark Side upon his helpless victim. The Jedi cried out as his mind was seized by the power of the Force. Nox could feel the bond forming between them, and recognized the ritual as being one of total mental enslavement. It's power was evident, he could feel the strength of the energies that coursed through the bond, the rites it possessed would be more than sufficient. Joy and triumph surged through his veins, flooding his mind with malevolent ecstasy. He felt the power of the Dark Side burgeoning in response, and his triumph was magnified tenfold.

He had found it. Of all the places in the galaxy he could have picked to search for a ritual like this one, he had found it here, on Belsavis. This was destiny at work, he was meant to take this path, he was meant to succeed. This was proof. Looking at his hand, he saw dark energy floating off of it like ectoplasm. He felt the wavering life force of the Jedi as surely as if he held the man's heart in the palm of his hand. He squeezed his hand into a tight fist, and the Jedi collapsed to the ground; stone dead.

Nox was still feeling elated as he walked towards the only Imperial base for the region, his speedy discovery of the kind of ritual he had sought fresh in his mind. It was no doubt due to his good mood that he was in a rather agreeable state when the Imperial astromech I4-D6 landed nearby and rushed up to him, chittering and making its best semblance of a bow. It was no doubt due to his good mood that he listened carefully and patiently while the little grey and red droid hastily conferred the request for help its master had dispatched it to deliver. But it was curiosity, rather than jubilation, that saw him agree to follow the droid and assist its master with an important operation that had gone south.

Following the droid's lead, they soon reached a frozen lake. Nox was only slightly surprised to see that a sizable Imperial warship had crashed into it. The lake was frozen solid, so the ice had reacted to the ship's crash much like stone would have, and the broken vessel lay in large chunks scattered around the area. The droid led them to an alcove in the rock face of the lake's eastern side, where a few troopers and an officer with a general's star on his lapel waited, typing furiously on his datapad.

"Well, it's about time!" He exclaimed hearing Nox approach. "I requested a medic and heat source hours ago!" Turning around, the look of fear and utter shock on his face made Nox smile behind his mask. "Please, my lord forgive me!" The general pleaded with a bow. "I-I didn't recognize-"

"You're lucky you aren't dead, general." Nox interrupted. "If I was an enemy you might have just become a prisoner, or victim, of the Republic."

"Your wisdom is humbling my lord." The general said in supplication.

"It is not wisdom," Nox hissed "But mere common sense. It is no wonder that this operation failed with you in charge of it. From now on, I am in command."

"I surrender my authority completely to you my lord." The general said, dropping to one knee in the freezing snow.

"Good, now give me the full briefing so I can salvage this mess." Nox demanded.

"Of course, my lord, right away." The general said, rising to his feet. "My mission was to reclaim a death trap" he said motioning to the wrecked ship. "It went about as well as you would expect. Years ago, when the Dread Masters were imprisoned here, one of their apprentices stole the Imperial destroyer named "Fatality". We never learned why. The Fatality was believed lost, until several days ago that is, when we discovered the forces of the Dread Guard excavating its wreck from the ice here. High Command sent me to reclaim the vessel." Nox glanced around briefly at the frozen lake populated only by various fauna native to Belsavis.

"I don't see the Dread Guard anywhere General." He remarked. "Did they abandon their efforts?"

"If only it were so my lord." The general said mournfully. "They only excavated enough of it to enter the ship." He gestured towards the part of the wreck nearest the alcove. "There is an exposed airlock over there, that's how they got in. They've fortified themselves and we simply don't have the manpower to break through their defenses."

"What was the Fatality carrying?" Nox asked without taking his eyes away from the entrance.

"High Command thinks the Fatality's cargo is so important, they won't even tell me what it is." The general said, a hint of enmity in his tone. "I'm just supposed to find it." Nox turned back to the general as the dark-skinned human continued the briefing. "But we weren't prepared for the savages inside that vessel. The Dread Master's forces are lead by a Houk who keeps our dead as frozen trophies." A thought came to Nox and he absentmindedly voiced it aloud.

"Why is Imperial High Command competing with the Dread Masters for the Empire's property?"

"I don't know my lord." The general said regretfully. "I thought the Dread Masters were on our side."

"They are." Nox said. At least they're supposed to be, he thought to himself. He remembered meeting them in person when he had freed them from Republic imprisonment. It felt like a lifetime ago when he had defeated the Esh-Ka leader Heart Rend and his company of Esh-Ka mystics in combat, releasing the legendary Sith from the confines of their stasis pods. He had heard them speak and felt the raw, terrifying power of the Dark Side laced into every syllable. He had seen their powers firsthand. Even weakened by their long imprisonment, mere moments after emerging from the stasis pods they had been able to stand and move perfectly fine. Most beings that Nox had seen released from the Rakatan stasis pods needed at least a few minutes to adjust to using their bodies again, but the Dread Masters had been as mobile and spry as if they had never been in stasis. Their power in the Force seemed to have suffered a slight detriment however, as even when they had combined their powers to break Heart Rend's will, it took a few seconds for the Esh-Ka leader to die from pure terror. Whether the Dread Masters had combined their power out of necessity or desire, and whether they had been truly trying to devour the ancient alien's mind with fear, or simply toying with him, Nox didn't know.

Nox had felt Heart Rend's power and the strength of his will during their battle, at that time the beast's willpower had nearly rivaled Nox's own. Yet with only their outstretched hands, the Dread Masters had brought him to a swift and horrifying end. They had then gone on to drive Republic Warden Graal so insane with terror that he slaughtered his own platoon of soldiers that he had brought with him in a futile attempt to keep the Dread Masters imprisoned. The moment had, at Nox's request and the whim of the Dread Masters, been a lesson in the art of terror. The pride he had felt when Dread Master Raptus had complimented him both for his strength in the Dark Side and his skill in manipulating it swelled anew, but brought with it suspicion and uncertainty. Had the Dread Masters begun to turn against the Empire? Even with Vitiate's withdrawal from the greater galaxy, surely they saw the foolishness in turning the Empire into their enemy alongside the Republic.

Then again, Nox thought, Vitiate was the only being the Dread Masters truly feared and respected. Perhaps in his absence they have grown bold and have designs on conquering the galaxy, as Malgus did. The difference between Malgus and the Dread Masters, Nox knew, was that the Masters held true power. Their ability to inflict unrestrained terror on entire fleets and armies through the art of battle meditation was legendary. Perhaps, Nox thought, if they truly mean to follow Darth Malgus's lead they are far more likely to succeed. Nox had no loyalty to the Empire outside of the influence and resources it afforded him, and thus the thought of allying with the Dread Masters over the Empire should the choice be offered was...appealing.

The Dread Masters had gained their power from unlocking the secrets of the Phobis devices, ancient dark side technology created by the Rakata. The power they now wielded in the Force was far superior to any power possessed by Nox, other members of the Dark Council, or any being in the respective orders of the Sith and Jedi. Like Vitiate, the Dread Masters had extended their lives to unreasonable lengths, a power Nox knew he would likely need if he ever hoped to become truly immortal. The opportunity to learn from them was simply too good to ever pass up, and he resolved to take Raptus's suggestion; that he and the Masters might one day "talk" about Nox becoming educated in the art of fear, to heart.

"Regardless of their reasons," Nox said conclusively "I believe this matter bears further investigation by the Dark Council. I will enter the Fatality and attempt to determine both its cargo and the Dread Master's motivations. For all we know, the Fatality's cargo belongs to them."

"You don't believe they will, uhh... protest to you slaughtering their troops, my lord?" the general inquired.

"I've met them personally, general." Nox said, enjoying the fear and respect his remark kindled in the human. "I don't believe they will care what I do, so long as I do not interfere with their goals."

"Of course my lord, forgive me." The general said, bowing his head in apology.

"One more thing, general. I want you to hold this position for me. Report to High Command that this operation is now under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Reclamation Service, authorization code 141524."

"Right away my lord." the general replied, taking out his datapad and beginning to type as Nox turned and headed towards the entrance to the Fatality with Khem in tow. They infiltrated the ship, and after a few minutes of stealthily winding their way through ruined corridors swarming with the Dread Guard, they found themselves at a large door on the cargo deck. Concentrating, Nox reached out with Force, his cloak dropping as his concentration was redirected. The door's locking mechanism released and it slid open with only a thought and a gesture from the Dark Lord. Beyond it was an intersection, although all of the other three doors were closed. In the center of the intersection stood a large Houk and two Dread Guard. At the sound of the door opening, the two soldiers cocked their blaster rifles and aimed them at the Sith Lord entering the makeshift room. The Houk simply stood there with his arms crossed, his vibroblade still attached to the magnetic holster on his back. He was wearing various pieces of armor obviously scavenged off of dead Imperial troopers, and stood about nine feet tall, easily dwarfing Nox. Khem, however, seemed to be the perfect match for the big man in size, muscle mass, and bulk.

"Well, well." The flabby-looking monster grunted. "Look what we have here, another Imperial runt who wants to meet the void."

"Runt?" Nox asked incredulously. "Do you know who you're talking to? I'm a Lord of the Dark Council, I've killed more people than you've met in your entire, worthless life."

"Ooooooo I'm shakin!" The Houk said mockingly, not moving a muscle. "Say, Mr. Bigshot, before I kill you do you mind tellin me where to find that traitorous Kath mutt in red'n black armor that left me for dead? I'm guna pay her a visit once my bosses let me off this stinkin' planet."

Nox reached out with the Force, and was shocked to find familiar dark energies swirling around the big brute. The Houk was force-sensitive? He looked again and was relieved to see that the dark forces encompassing the man were not emanating from him, they merely clung to him like an odor. They also bore the mark of beings whose power Nox knew well: The Dread Masters. The energies, combined with the Houk's stubborn will, made him practically impervious to mind control and would likely shield him from the most potent effects of Force attacks. The scavenged armor was patchwork but well made in spite of it, the Houk was obviously good at improvising. This would not be as easy as he had expected.

"I know plenty of traitorous thugs," Nox said with feigned exasperation "you'll have to be more specific."

"Called herself the champion of some hunt or somethin', pretty little thing too, you'd never guess she could put up a fight. Helped me catch up with an old "buddy" of mine, then blasted me in the back."

Nox smiled, he couldn't help but approve of Nei'tiri's choice to beat this useless thug senseless and abandon him to die. Seems I'll have to finish the job she failed to complete, he thought.

"I know her, but she is the least of your concerns right now, thug."

"The name's Skadge," The Houk said angrily "remember it, because after I peel open that tin can on your head and smash your face into the back of your skull word is gunna spread all over the underworld that I killed a Sith bigshot!"

Amused, Nox dignified the bravado with a nonchalant response. "Well Khem, I told you I would find you a nice big meal didn't I?"

"Haguva vau marvina wasu, meginis hua dumin ouky deiis." Khem said gesturing towards the simmering brute.

"O come on - its not that fatty" Nox protested. "It just looks that way, plenty of meat and muscle underneath all the blubber."

"What did you say? You're gunna pay for that!" The Houk roared. "I was gunna kill you quick and painful, but now I'll make sure you suffer."

"I already am," Nox said in a bored voice "every time you open that gaping mouth-hole I lose brain cells."

With a roar, the Houk drew his vibroblade and charged, while the two soldiers opened fire. Nox deflected the bolts with ease as Khem drew his own, much wider and larger vibroblade and met the big alien's advance with an intercessory leap. The two giants engaged in brutal combat, their nearly equal size and strength being brought heavily into play. Khem was only a few inches shorter, but his body was all muscle while the Houk had a slight height advantage but was carrying more than his fair share of fat.

Tiring of toying with the soldiers, Nox stopped bouncing their shots right back into their armor and extended one hand. In the same instant, one soldier was thrown back into the wall behind him and pinned there by the power of the Force. Nox deflected two more bolts from the remaining guardsman and unleashed an intense barrage of lightning that quickly encompassed the man. The victim's blaster dropped from his grasp as his body was racked by thousands of volts flowing through his nervous system and leaping through the rest of his body. The man collapsed to the ground dead just as Nox released the pinned soldier from his telekinetic grasp. In a panic the guard fired off three shots in rapid succession, only to have them directly impact his chest plate, right shoulder, and helmet. The latter shattered the visor revealing terrified yellow eyes. The sight gave Nox some pause, only agents of the Dark Side were supposed to have eyes of that color, yet this Force-blind human had eyes reminiscent of a Sith. Then Nox unleashed another torrent of blue lightning at his foe and the human screamed as his flesh melted and his brain overloaded with pain. When the smoking corpse collapsed, Nox paid it no heed and descended upon the Houk in a whirlwind flurry of lightsaber attacks.

Abandoning his favored Niman variant for the more aggressive, lightsaber-focused Juyo, Nox pelted the Houk's armor with Force-enhanced blows. The armor quickly began to show wear, as the Houk was forced to focus largely on fending off Khem's powerful overhand cleaves and sweeping blows. Scorch marks quickly became burns, and soon the burned spots began to become tattered and thin. Finally deciding that Nox might be the bigger threat, Skadge turned and began focusing on the Dark Lord. Nox was ready for him: deftly switching from Juyo back to Niman, he maintained his defensive stance while launching potent Force assaults on his foe. Although Nox's Force attacks did little damage thanks to the spells the Dread Masters had placed over the Houk, they were having another effect. The Houk's confidence was growing, and his attacks were becoming more and more reckless. When Khem saw the opening he took it. The massive vibroblade came down on a particularly weakened spot of armor, cutting through it like butter before slicing through flesh, muscle, bone, and out the other side. Skadge roared in pain as his free arm dropped to the ground, blood gushing profusely from the wound. In his anguish, the big man left himself wide open, and Nox's lightsaber obliged him by severing his massive, flabby head from his shoulders. The remains dropped to the floor, bathing the icy durasteel in blood.

Nox didn't even spare the corpse another glance, he sheathed his lightsaber and walked towards the door to the cargo bay. Prying the broken door open, he entered the bay, only to find it dark and far colder than the rest of the ship. He found his way to the power control panel and activated it. Slowly, one by one, the lights began to come on. Nox watched in stunned fascination as the lights revealed what the cargo bay was filled with: industrial-sized stasis chambers. In each chamber was what looked like assassin droids, HK assassin droids, and a lot of them. The sleeping sentinels stood like tombstones in a graveyard, only tombstones couldn't possibly come to life and attack you all at once with an extremely wide variety of deadly weaponry and incredible skill and finesse.

Moving to a mainframe access panel halfway across the cargo bay, Nox spent the next few minutes slicing into the half-frozen computer and retrieving what little data he could. Apparently the Empire had commissioned Czerka Corporation to produce two thousand of its latest HK-series model droids: at the time that was the HK-51. All of the droids had been damaged in the crash and during the subsequent deep freeze. Most of the parts, Nox realized, might not even exist anymore, at least not in such large quantities. Gazing around the cargo bay, Nox noticed one unit in the single-occupant stasis chamber situated in the center of the room. Noting the unit number printed on the chamber, he quickly looked up the unit's profile and found what parts were in need of replacement.

Just then his earpiece crackled and the voice of Lieutenant Hosser, the protection squad commander for the regional branch of the Reclamation Service, emerged from the static.

"Darth Nox, it's an honor. We received the dispatch order at base and are here as you requested. We've arrived at the entrance to the ship, but we're seeing hostiles inside."

Nox activated the com "My apologies commander, I forgot to clean up on my way in. I hope you're up for the challenge."

There was a pause, "Not a problem my lord, we'll get to work straight away!" The com cut out.

Nox began searching the database for schematics, he was angered to find that the data core containing the information had been breached during the crash and was now frozen solid inside and out. There would be no way to retrieve that data, not from here at least. But even as he exited the cargo bay and began heading back through the ruined ship to meet the expedition, an idea came to him. Czerka Corp. had created the HK-series droids, and despite the HK-51 model being a few years old he had no doubt that he could find its schematics in one of their laboratory archives...if he could get in. Czerka was notorious for being very closed off about its inventions, and the HK series was no exception. Negotiations would be long, arduous, complicated, and worst of all; boring. He'd have to find another way around this. A sudden inspiration struck him and he activated his earpiece, opening the link to his ship. "Andronikos, I need you to look up Czerka Corporation laboratories abandoned no earlier than two years ago."

"Huh?" came the confused reply "sorry, say that again?"

Nox sighed. "I need you to look up Czerka laboratory facilities abandoned within the past two years."

"Yeah, just hold on a sec, something came up." Andronikos said, his voice slightly muffled. Nox stiffened with anger at the casual dismissal. "Sorry my lord that wasn't meant for you." The bodyguard apologized. Nox said nothing for a moment while he processed something in his head.

"Andronikos," he asked "are you...is there someone there?"

Silence, then: "Would it make any difference if I said yes?" the ex-pirate asked sheepishly.

"I appreciate your honesty," Nox said, somewhat exasperated "but I really wish you would inform me of these things ahead of time."

"I try," insisted the bodyguard "but sometimes these things just...happen." To the woman that was with him he said; "Yeah I was having a great time too, but my boss is on the horn and needs me to work, so we'll continue this later, all right?" The response was too distant to make out, not that Nox wanted to, but it seemed whatever Nox had interrupted was over and he had his bodyguard back. "Hang on just a second and I'll look that up now." Andronikos said hurriedly. After a few minutes wait, he came back on the line. "Only one result."

"Really?" Nox said, genuinely interested "Fascinating, where is this laboratory?"

"The unknown regions." Andronikos said, concern creeping through in his voice, "in an asteroid field."

"Plot a hyperspace route." Nox commanded, "have the ship ready for take-off as soon as I get there." He paused for a moment before asking his next question. "Out of curiosity, does this laboratory have a name?"

"Yeah," came the compliant response; "the Theoretika."

* * *

Xalek moved through the streets of Detrimos's industrial sector, the Force cloaking him with invisibility and shrouding his presence from any Force-sensitives, Jedi or otherwise, in the area. He had met with Lieutenant Falimore and given the commander instructions to mobilize his troops to enact a containment and clean-up operation. Surprised by an order that seemed to imply that Xalek was going to route the Republic all by himself, the man had enough wisdom to simply follow the order without much questioning.

As he slipped between Republic patrols, taking the shortest route to the power plant that was his destination, Xalek allowed himself to slip into a slight meditative trance. This way, he could lose himself in thought, while the Force would remove him from the depths of his own mind in plenty of time to avoid any incoming hazards to his mission. His master had taught him the technique.

"Planning is a Sith's greatest asset," his master's voice reverberated in his skull, as if Xalek was still on Dromund Kaas all those months ago, listening attentively to one of his master's first lessons, "the ability to plot and scheme, predicting and anticipating the movements and intentions of both your allies and your enemies is crucial to achieving long-lasting victory and ensuring your survival. A Sith must shape the future by constantly attending to it with his thoughts."

"It is this philosophy that separates us from the Jedi. While they simply sit still like leaves on a pond, allowing themselves to be blown whichever way the wind wills, we are like gliders sliding across the surface, creating ripples and disturbances that buffet the leaves and reshape the pond with every move we make. The Jedi are content to simply accept the will of the Force as if it were a sentient being that would exalt them or reward them for their selfless sacrifice. They would surrender their free will in exchange for an illusion, a lie meant to placate and comfort those weak-minded enough to believe it. Sith do not desire to be deluded, and thus we do not desire peace. Instead, we reach forward through space and time, seizing upon the future we desire, and pulling the rest of the galaxy into line to make it reality. With our mind firmly anchored in the future, we can use the Force to reach back, use our bodies as a conduit for our power, and drive the physical world down the path that leads to the future to which we've anchored ourselves, thereby shaping our own destiny."

His master had paused, looking down at his kneeling apprentice, the dark voids of his mask's eyeholes seeming to pierce Xalek's flesh and see what lay beneath. "But we do not have the luxury of remaining still and placid while we forge our destiny. We do not bind ourselves with the chains of apathy and complacency as the hated Jedi do. Instead, we live in the moment only in the physical sense, while casting our minds ahead of us into the future that we desire. By dividing our focus while remaining single-minded in our intentions and purpose, our mind harnesses the Force to construct the pathways to the future that we envision, so that our physical existence, this mundane body, can follow the path we have laid out for it to reach that future that we most desire. You must learn this technique, how to place yourself in the future and guide your mundane physical existence down the path you wish to forge through the power of the Force. By instructing the Force to command your physical form on your behalf, you can focus on forging a path for yourself through the cosmos. In mastering this technique, you will never be taken by surprise."

Xalek savored the wisdom of his masters words, they resounded within him as the revelation he'd received back then alighted with the fires of renewed passion, ambition, and desire. In some ways he often felt that echoes of his master's presence renewed his strength and empowered him simply by calling up memories of being at his side, although they were nothing compared to the power his master's unique presence in the Force bestowed upon him in person. That power wasn't purely invigorating however, Xalek hadn't been with his master very long, compared to others of his lord's inner circle, but he'd seen Darth Nox's presence oppress and suffocate his enemies with the same potency that it empowered those who fought by his side. Foes whose reputations seemingly left no doubt of who the victor would be in the confrontation with the then-Lord Kallig, had all fallen one by one. Whatever powers they possessed blunted and stifled by the oppressive, overwhelming power of Darth Nox's unique aura. Despair, doubt, and weakness had flooded their minds all too quickly, slowing their reactions, dulling their senses, sapping their strength, and causing them to wither under the darkness Xalek's master exuded.

Many of the enemies Xalek had fought alongside his master had lost far too quickly for the Kaleesh's taste. Their blunted skills and almost non-existent strength proving to be no match for Xalek's overcharged powers and his master's terrifying command of the Dark Side. The only battle worthy of note was when they had faced Darth Thanaton on Correllia in the deciding battle of the Kaggath. Even then, it had merely been a matter of when, not if, he and his master would defeat the old fool, and he had proved to be hardly a challenge for Darth Nox alone when they finally fought before the eyes of the Dark Council. Truly, Xalek thought, it is a foolish and suicidal endeavor to defy my master.

The thought troubled him somewhat, after all the way of the Sith demanded that he one day surpass and kill his master, but Xalek couldn't see how he would ever surpass Darth Nox. Even if he one day reached the level of power Darth Nox had now, his master would likely have learned far more secrets, acquired more power, in the time that it took for Xalek to reach that point, and for all his hard work and ambition Xalek would be no closer to victory than before. Nevertheless, he thought, I must go on. I must continue to learn from my master and continue to increase my power. Should he ever show any sign of weakness, should he ever falter or fail, should his guard ever drop, then I will know my time has come, and I must be ready to seize upon that opportunity to the fullest. He was woken from his trance be a disturbance in the Force, the Dark Side had brought him out of his thoughts when his attention was required, as expected. He had arrived at his destination, before him, the power plant loomed. A small smile, hidden by both his bone mask and the Force cloak concealing his presence, spread across his face. It was time to turn the future into reality.

Moving swiftly, he ran towards the entrance in front of him. He dropped his Force cloak, remembering what the Moff had said about the Republic's stealth detection systems. He heard shouts of alarm, and klaxons began to blare as the Republic guards opened fire on him. Shielding himself with the Force, Xalek drew his double-bladed lightsaber and activated it. He swung both hands, sending the weapon on a long arc through the air, spinning like a circular plasma saw. Guided by the Force, it severed the heads of both guards in sequence before returning to its wielder, sinking into his waiting claws. With the speed of the Force, Xalek dashed towards the entrance just as the portable defense turrets installed on either side of the entrance registered him within their range of fire. Unable to keep up with his immense speed, they fired on the spot where he had been, only for Xalek to turn them into scrap with blindingly swift attacks from his lightsaber. Without even stopping for breath, Xalek continued his assault, carving his way through the scrambled Republic troops that were attempting to stop him. Many of them were foot soldiers, armed with only basic blaster rifles, blaster-resistant armor and light shields. Xalek slaughtered them in groups ranging from as small as four to as large as nine. Now and then he would encounter a commander or officer of similar rank clad in cortosis armor with better weapons and a higher-quality shield generator, but Xalek defeated them too, just with a little more effort. He realized with some disappointment that he had fully expected the number of enemies he would face to be larger. A location as crucial as this was supposed to be better guarded, unless the Republic commanders of the invasion were complete fools.

When he finally reached the door to the power core chamber, he was annoyed to find it locked down. He paused to gather his strength. After a full minute of summoning all the power he could muster, he lashed out with the Force. The massive durasteel door exploded inward, metal shattered and bent as if destroyed by a powerful explosive. His attempt had created a hole big enough for Xalek to walk through, and when he did, he saw why the Republic forces hadn't been as numerous as he had expected.

Standing in the middle of the chamber, near the power core's computer interface, was Lord Willsaam. She was standing, staring at him. He could tell she was at least somewhat impressed by his display of power.

"I thought you might be here." She said in bored voice. "Good to know you're as predictable as I thought." Xalek might have taken offense to the comment if he didn't think her misconception would be useful to reinforce.

"Following me like a lost Kath pup, are you?" He prodded eagerly.

She scoffed "You wish. I'm here on my own business. Do what you came to do and get out."

"I plan to." Xalek assured her. "But you may want to follow my lead when I do leave."

Jaesa laughed. "What makes you think I'd follow you?"

"Well that thought of imminent death in a fiery explosion might do the trick." Xalek said with more than hint of arrogance. Jaesa's mind put the pieces together.

"Ah, you plan to blow this place sky high." Xalek nodded. "Very well, let me just find what I'm looking for and I'll let you do what you want."

Xalek almost laughed at the thought of her preventing him from accomplishing his task, but his derision was cut off by a sudden disturbance in the Force. He drew his lightsaber at the same time Jaesa drew hers, and the two were suddenly engulfed in a haze of blaster fire. All over the chamber, Republic Special Forces troopers decloaked or popped up from their hiding places and opened fire. The two sith stood back to back, and began deflecting their blaster fire back at them, letting the Force guide their hands, but the soldiers had high-quality, powerful shield generators the absorbed their own bolts easily.

"Well," said Xalek "this is a fine mess you've gotten us into."

"What you mean me?" Jaesa said accusingly. "You're the one who set off the alarms, I was still outside when they went off."

"Yes but you stood around talking when I could have already set the power core to overload."

There was a sudden disturbance in the Force. Jaesa's response didn't come in the form of verbal rebuttal. Instead, she suddenly whirled around, bringing her lightsaber around in a move that would have cut off Xalek's head if it wasn't for the armor protecting the back of the Kaleesh's neck, and for the fact that Xalek had ducked. Jaesa's goal, however, wasn't to kill him, instead, she released her lightsaber at the peak of its arcing swing and sent it flying out over Xalek's head in the direction he had been facing. Meanwhile Xalek began to turn while still in his semi-squatting position with his own lightsaber seemingly aimed to cut off Jaesa's legs at the shins. Jaesa's lightsaber spun as it travelled, slicing through thin air that then became the headless corpse of the previously cloaked trooper, before collapsing to the ground. Jaesa's lightsaber returned to her, and her feet left the ground just as Xalek imitated her move but on a lower angle. His lightsaber whirled like a plasma saw as it cut the other cloaked trooper off at the knees. The man's screams of pain were silenced by a stray blaster bolt as Xalek's lightsaber returned to his waiting hand, Jaesa's feet dropped to the floor, and they returned to their back-to-back positions, deflecting blaster bolts by the dozen.

The whole incident had occurred in the space of a few seconds, and it took the members of the Special Forces unit attacking them longer to realize that their plan had failed. Fear and doubt began to spread among the unit, and the two Sith fed on that to give them power.

Jaesa turned her head just slightly to one side so Xalek could hear her speak. "I need some information in the database first before you destroy this place. If you have a problem with that I suggest voicing your displeasure after we deal with these scum."

"Fair enough," Xalek admitted "as long as your quick. We need to destroy this place before the Republic can send reinforcements."

"Aww, but I wanted to kill more Republic weaklings today!" Jaesa pouted.

"Trust me, you'll love what I've got planned." Xalek said maliciously

"Ha! I doubt you could plan anything more complicated than a hyperspace route!" Jaesa hissed.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Xalek commented "I've got lots of complicated things figured out, even you."

Before Jaesa could form a response she felt Xalek dash off. Moving with Force-imbued speed she dodged a hail of blaster bolts as she descended on the nearest troopers, encompassing them in a whirlwind of lightsaber strikes, lightning blasts, and bursts of dark energy. Despite the strength of their shields, the technology soon proved no match for the power of the Force. She broke down their shields and granted them tormentous deaths under the power of her Sith lightning. She heard the screams and felt the deaths of other members of the squad across the room as Xalek was no doubt doing the same. Within moments some of the remaining squad members, terrorized by the Sith's power and the anguished cries of their allies, broke ranks and fled. The commander cursed and ordered them back, but they ignored him and fled the power core chamber. With their forces decimated by death and cowardice, the remaining troopers fought hard, but were quickly outmatched. Soon the chamber was silent but for the deep hum of the power core and the blare of the klaxons.

"Hurry and get that information," Xalek said "It won't be too much longer before all the Republic forces in the area descend on this place!"

Not even bothering to argue, Jaesa hastily sliced the computer terminal and inserted a data spike to extract and download the information. As soon as she pulled it out Xalek took over the controls and set the power core to overload, activating his lightsaber and carving deep gouges into the console until it sparked at hissed once he was done.

"Let's go!" He roared above the noise. Their escape was quick and uneventful, most of the troops were too busy trying to evacuate to stop them, and anyone who tried was dismembered, electrocuted, or impaled with all haste.

Once outside they commanded the Dark Side to cloak them from sight just as Republic drop ships and troop carrier vehicles descended from the sky or pulled up to facility and unloaded their cargo of emergency response military personnel. Easily navigating the confused and disorganized Republic evacuees unseen, they made it to a rooftop approximately a mile away, and decloaked as they turned to watch the power plant enter its final death throes. They were not disappointed. The explosion looked like a small nuclear weapon had been detonated. Xalek and Jaesa both shielded themselves from the blast, but the heat and shockwave still forced them to struggle to stay upright and not be blown back. Xalek couldn't help but notice that Jaesa took particular pleasure in the explosion. The sheer power and spectacle, as well as the hundreds of deaths they both felt in the Force.

They stood there in awe after the initial blast, and Jaesa only stirred from her trance when she felt the three-fingered claw of the Kaleesh sith grasp her gently by her deceptively slender arm.

"Come on," he said, his grin so wide she could see it poking out from behind the edges of his mask "This whole sector is going to light up in the next few hours, I've started a chain reaction that's destabilized the whole power network for the industrial sector. The Republic doesn't even know how connected the power plants are, but they're about to find out."

The realization of what the Kaleesh had done brought her lust for him roaring back. Instead of feeling disgusted at the touch of his thick claws she instead felt a rush of longing and desire. The thoughts of having such an ambitious, powerful, cunning hunter for a partner, it was intoxicating. The way he sought death and destruction just as she did, how he held himself to a code of honor just like Galadius, how he tore apart his enemies with all the skill, finesse, and power of a born predator...For once her feelings of disgust and hatred for the alien were nowhere to be found. She inexplicably found herself craving his attention, his respect, his desire. So when he turned to go, she turned and followed him back to the Imperial base, where they would watch the Republic go down in flames.

* * *

"Approaching destination." Andronikos said from the pilot's seat. Nox got out of the captain's chair after the ship left hyperspace and he saw the Theoretika for the first time. The ship was a ruin. It looked dilapidated and aged, although that might have just been the coat of rust-colored paint and the years of being battered by asteroids.

"I'm going in." He said, turning to leave the cockpit. "Dock the ship and stay here."

"You're going in alone?" Andronikos asked. "It's not like I doubt your ability or anything, but isn't that risky, going into a death trap like that without backup? We have no idea what's in there."

"I don't sense anything inside." Nox said "The only thing I'll have to worry about is the ship falling apart, and I can deal with that easily."

"If you say so," Andronikos said uncertainly, banking the ship into an approach vector. "I just don't want you not coming back, looks really bad when I'm the only one here with you."

Nox laughed. "Selfish as always Andronikos, good to see playing bodyguard hasn't changed you."

"Hey I enjoy playing bodyguard as much as the next guy." The ex-pirate countered as the ship docked with the Theoretika. "I just don't like being electrocuted or getting my head chopped off when they blame me for your death."

"Then you have nothing to be concerned about." Nox responded. "I will get what I need and return shortly." With that, he turned and left the cockpit, heading for the airlock. Within a few minutes, Nox had exited his ship and found himself in a turbolift access room, dimly illuminated by the miraculously still active ceiling light. From what he could remember about Czerka facility layouts, the docking port was in between the top deck and the deck directly below it. That meant he stood a better chance of finding what he needed if he went down. Approaching the turbolift, he found it inactive, no surprise there, and proceeded to carve through the sealed doors.

Once he had access to the hatch he peered over the edge to see that the shaft descended into blackness. He could see the entrance to the deck below, but it too, was sealed. Lowering himself over the edge, hanging on by his fingertips, he swore to himself that he would dedicate more time to learning the secrets of Force Flight. Letting go, he dropped towards the dark abyss below, grabbing onto the edge of the next floor through a combination of using the Force to slow his descent and amplifying the strength in his arms and fingers so the tiny ledge wouldn't slip from his grasp. Bending the Force to his will once more, he used it to pull himself up onto the inch-thick ledge and pin himself to the door with his heels jutting out over the edge. Igniting his lightsaber, he carved open the door, amplifying his strength with the Force to get the leverage he lacked because of his awkward position. Finally, with the door no longer an obstacle, he emerged onto Deck Four.

The first thing he noticed through the gloom was a nearby box of light droids. Activating one of them, it burst to life and hovered a foot or so over his head, turning on its beam as it did so. The beam of light illuminated the corridor beyond the doorway ahead of him, the hall traveling perpendicular to the direction from which he now entered it and, of more interest, containing a corpse. Preserved by the stale air and lack of bacteria, the corpse appeared to have been dead for months, based on the accumulation of dust and the complete lack of any remnant of the Force in it, not even an echo or any fading imprints.

Ignoring it, Nox moved throughout the deck, investigating every open room and carving through every closed door he came across. Most of the rooms were just barracks, but he happened to stumble across a few storage rooms. After searching the entire deck, he finally found the room he was looking for. Situated on the far end of the, the space was filled with consoles, wires, and assorted technical paraphernalia. After testing a few consoles, Nox found one that was still running, albeit on low power, and used it to access the emergency power generators. His joy at restoring power to the entire engineering level was short lived however, as he discovered through the console's readouts that power to the command deck had been severed. The troubleshooter program indicated that the connection had been cut off, leaving that deck's emergency power generator as the only way to restore power. Unfortunately, the program also informed him that the generator's last status had been classified as: "No connection", which could very well mean "destroyed". Nox sighed, it looked like he would have to make do without power while exploring the command deck.

Returning to the turbolift, Nox used it to ascend to the command deck. Upon arriving, he found the door from the turbolift to the rest of the deck sealed shut. Igniting his lightsaber, he attempted to carve through it, and was shocked to find the door lined with cortosis. Cortosis wasn't cheap, if Czerka had sprung for doors lined with the substance on the command deck of this vessel, that usually meant they were expecting trouble, possibly of the lightsaber wielding variety. Reaching out with the Force, Nox found the door to be far more sturdy than its predecessors on the engineering deck. Nonetheless, he managed to blast it off its hinges and imbed it into the opposite wall with a little more effort. Striding through the now open portal, he found himself in a hallway exactly like the one on the previous deck, no doubt every deck had the exact same layout. Armed with this knowledge, he approached the exact same area where he had found the main engineering compartment before. He was rewarded with an extremely large and thick door that he had no doubt led to the bridge.

Steadying himself, he extended his hands. Motioning as if he was placing his hands against the door, even though they were braced against only thin air, he began to push out with the Force. The door groaned and shuddered, Nox felt the vessel respond to the door in the same manner as his power began to test the strength of the walls surrounding the door frame. The massive barrier before him began to bend and buckle, but it did not give. Nox bowed his head, closed his eyes, and heaved. There was a roaring screech as the door was torn from its place and sent crashing inward. The door frame warped and buckled from the trauma, becoming as much of a jagged ruin as the rest of the ship.

Nox strode confidently and purposefully into the room. A large viewport dominated the opposite wall, and for a moment, Nox stood in shocked relief that he hadn't pushed harder. If he had applied more effort, he might well have sent the door flying into the miraculously still intact window, instead of crashing to the lowered floor of the bridge where it now lay. With that he might have ended up being sucked into space, and as powerful as he was, Nox doubted he could survive very long in that frigid void. Surveying the bridge, Nox noticed a large vat dominating the left side, surrounded by countless scientific consoles and technical tools. The vat would probably have been illuminated from the inside if the command deck had power, but as it was, only the machinery keeping the vat active was still running. Nox couldn't tell if there was anything in it, though he couldn't sense anything through the Force, and the vat appeared as dark and black as the vacuum outside the viewport - except for the stars of course. It seemed the bridge had also served as the main lab. Nox approached the console that sat on the raised part of the floor and tried to access the database. To his frustration, he found it sealed by an access code.

With the touch of a button on his wrist control, he activated his comlink. "Andronikos, I need the access code for this station's database."

"What? Oh sure, no problem, I'll just call Czerka now and ask for them." The pirate replied sarcastically.

Summoning the Force, Nox reached into his ship and applied a minute amount of pressure to the man's neck. Not enough to hurt or impede his breathing in a serious way, but enough to make him uncomfortable. "I'm not in the mood for your mockery, pirate." He hissed. "Hack into the Czerka computers over the holonet and get me the access codes for this station, then wipe all evidence of the incursion from the network. Let's see all those courses in Advanced Slicing from Imperial Intelligence put to good use!" He released his Force-grip on the man's neck and heard the barely audible sigh of relief.

"Access codes, coming right up." Andronikos said woodenly. Nox could have simply mind controlled him to get the same result, but with less resentment, from the bodyguard. But now and again Nox felt he had to remind the pirate of his place. The way he spoke to Nox was often too casual and familiar for a member of the Dark Council. The attitude had been permissible to a point when Nox was an apprentice, less appropriate when he became a lord, and borderline disgraceful upon Nox's ascension to the Dark Council. It was for this reason that Nox often ordered the ex-pirate never to speak to him or anybody else - besides soldiers - while they were in public. Nox knew that forcing the bodyguard to constantly speak in the rigid and formal manner with which all Imperial subjects were expected to speak to a Lord of the Dark Council would only breed deep-seated resentment that would, over time, become deep-rooted hatred. That sort of disposition might be useful to inspire in an apprentice or other Sith underlings, but in his personal bodyguard, that could very well be akin to a death sentence.

Not that Nox feared death. With the five spirits still bound to him through the power of the Force Walk, their very presence keeping his own spirit bound to his physical body, there was only one foe that could kill him now: time. Even so, an unexpected "death" could be detrimental to his current plans. He preferred to keep his apparent immortality a secret from the galaxy at large. Thanaton had been the only being outside Nox's inner circle who had reason to suspect that the Dark Lord was immortal, and thus he had been in the best position to figure out how Nox achieved his virtual immortality and counteract it, either with a ritual he created or with one he discovered.

"Got it, sending them now." Andronikos said curtly. Nox heard the beep as his wristcom received the access codes.

"Excellent." he said with satisfaction, terminating the channel. He quickly entered the code and searched the database for the schematics. Within minutes, he found what he was looking for. He was just about to download them when he felt a sudden disturbance in the Force. Slowly looking towards the vat, he saw two, bright orange orbs glowing inside. No, he realized, not orbs. Before he could complete the thought, there was movement in the vat. A sudden impact cracked the glass, and a shadowy fist withdrew to strike again. The second impact shattered the vat into a million pieces, the odd-smelling liquid pouring out over the ruined machinery below that had been crushed by the door. The creature stood to its full height and roared. Nox saw teeth the length of vibroknives, and a hard, scaly exoskeleton that covered the creature like a complete suit of chain mail. The beast's claws were thick and sharp, and its corded muscle seemed to belie a dexterity that a creature that size should not have.

Nox drew his lightsaber, preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation. The creature roared once more, took a step forward...and collapsed to ground, dead.

With utter shock, Nox stared at the corpse for a few minutes before cautiously approaching it. Confirming, both in the Force and by its pulse, that it was dead, he returned to the console and downloaded the HK schematics. While the download completed, he researched the creature in the vat. Apparently, it had been Czerka's latest experiment in bioengineering. They had created a predatory organism that could be programmed to combat and adapt to almost any enemy or tactic. The creature Nox had just confronted had been the prototype and, at the time of the vessel's abandonment, hadn't been ready to live outside the vat. They had also designed it to be Force-resistant, as well. Fascinated, Nox downloaded all the information and opened a channel to the ship again. "Andronikos, I need a dispatch order for a Reclamation service team to our coordinates. Tell them to send one of the black-level teams." There was a series of beeps and clicks, then Andronikos's voice came back over the channel.

"Sent."

"Fire up the engines." Nox ordered. "I have what I need, we're leaving."

"Roger that."

* * *

From the forest's outskirts, Jay-Li stared silently at the form of House Thul. The massive fortress of an estate stood as an imposing sentinel, solemnly watching over the land that was its heritage, from the elevated plain that had been carved into the side of the Juran mountain range to accommodate the massive structure. The place gave one the impression of extravagant wealth and abundant resources, while also displaying a remarkable amount of practicality and single-minded focus. Rather than spending the vast amounts of credits and resources supplied to them by the Empire on niceties, decorative propaganda, or grandiose architecture, the House of Thul had opted to invest heavily in their militant might, and upgrades to their security system and layout that made the estate very hard to break into.

The entire complex was surrounded on three sides by 40 foot walls, with the mountainside itself serving as the fourth. The layout was square, and everything, save for the northern speeder taxi terminal, was contained within the looming barriers of durasteel that were likely several feet thick. Jay-Li had no doubt that not a single bit of space within that area was wasted, and he had to admire the Thul's efficiency and tactical wisdom. House Organa, by comparison, was a sprawling, open estate. It's lack of walls, or indeed containment or protective barriers of any serious merit, left it constantly vulnerable to attack. A weakness the Thul's had exploited tremendously throughout the civil war. Upon arriving on the planet a few hours ago, Jay had been concerned to learn that a few months ago, House Thul had held House Organa's spaceport for almost a week. The fact that the spaceport was completely isolated from the House itself, unlike the Thul spaceport which was sheltered in the far corner of estate against the mountainside, and equipped with powerful defenses, had made it a perfect place for House Thul's forces to outlast a siege. Only the clever and selfless actions of two Jedi Knights had delivered the spaceport back into the hands of its rightful owners.

Still, Jay-Li had to admire Thul's efficiency and rejection of the prideful grandeur and arrogance that the nobles of House Organa so often displayed. House Thul had their feet on the ground, despite their lofty ambitions, and Jay had little doubt that was why they were currently winning the war. Cloaking himself in the Force, he took off towards the facility at a run. Upon reaching its borders, he slipped between the two turrets guarding the taxi terminal, making sure to stay as far away from either of the deadly sentinels as possible. Immediately after passing the turrets and entering through the gate, he made a ninety degree turn and slipped along the inside of the wall to avoid the large, four-legged battle droids patrolling the street. Still hugging the massive barrier, he slowly made his way towards the southeastern corner of the grounds, where the palace, the real "House Thul", stood. Upon arriving, Jay quickly noticed the two battle droids standing guard on either side of the semi-circular portal. As he had done with the turrets, he slipped in between them, careful to leave as much space as possible between him and either machine.

Once inside, Jay took the opportunity to survey the Main Hall. Architecturally, it was identical to House Organa's, but there were differences in the artistry and symbols that marked the houses as clearly different. Returning his mind to the task at hand, Jay slipped into a side hall. He assumed that the layout of the palace would be similar to that of Palace Organa, only to find that while the architecture was the same, the Thul's used rooms differently. He found himself in the armory, and resisted the urge to start driving his lightsaber into every single crate and weapon rack in sight. Turning, he retraced his steps back to the main hall and took a different path. After a few minutes of winding his way through countless passages, avoiding the few guards and battle droids patrolling the halls, he finally found what he was looking for; sheltered in a side room near the chambers of House Thul's nobles, was a rather grand-looking access terminal with a holoprojector.

Entering the room, Jay pressed a button on a small panel to the right side of the doorway. The door descended from the pointed arch of the portal, meeting the threshold with a soft "fwump". Pressing another button, Jay-Li heard a sharp click and knew the door was now locked. Anyone with an access code could get in of course, but it would take them a few seconds to enter to code and override the lock. Seconds Jay could use to slip into stealth once more and hide somewhere in the room until the intruder left.

Lowering his Force cloak, Jay strode towards the access terminal. Upon reaching it, he used it to begin sifting through House Thul's security holocam recordings from a few months ago. He wasn't finding anything pertaining to his goal, and was about to give up when suddenly, in a flash of recording, he saw Darth Nox meeting Sith Lord Serjay Thul, the new leader of House Thul and current contender for the throne of Alderaan. The two Sith were shaking hands, and, upon ending the exchange, Serjay motioned for Nox to walk beside him and they disappeared off-cam. Quickly perusing all recordings made after that, Jay quickly found many more recordings of Darth Nox performing several activities; meeting with nobles in private, conducting official meetings, doing interrogations, and all manner of business transactions. Most notably, Jay found a few instances where Nox wasn't wearing his usual battle armor, and was instead clad in ritualist robes that were no doubt more comfortable. Eventually, Jay found recordings of the Dathomirian Zabrak clad in only light robes or undergarments, appearing to be enjoying House Thul's luxuries.

Jay stopped at a recording of Nox lounging on a reclined lawn chair while a Nautolan female, obviously a slave judging by her garments, fed him from a large tray of fruits and snacks. Suddenly, the woman made a clumsy move and the large tray of expensive and no doubt delicious food clattered to the ground, spilling its contents. The slave woman instinctively threw up her hands and cowered, "Please master, I beg your forgiveness, don't hurt me! Please! I'm sorry!" Jay thought he saw a flash of anger fly through the Zabrak's eyes, but then he saw it replaced by a tenderness he would have thought impossible for a Sith, were he not seeing it with his own eyes.

"My dear," Nox said, slowly and gently reaching out to take the Nautolan's slender blue hands in his own crimson ones. The look of surprise one her face was quickly replaced with one of fear and suspicion, "Listen to me very carefully," His yellow eyes locked on her large, black ones, "I want you to clean this up this mess, then return to the kitchen and tell whoever it is who sent you that I have judged the food you brought unworthy and demand a better dish immediately. Tell no-one what really happened, it will be our little secret." He smiled at her, and her suspicion lapsed into gratitude and joy. "Oh thank you master! Most glorious lord! You are so merciful!" She prostrated herself on all fours, then began to gather up the mess.

Seeming to act on impulse, Nox reached down and grasped her arm, Jay saw a flicker of fear pass across the woman's face and for a moment he shared it, fearing that Nox's mood had suddenly changed. Instead, Nox pulled her up to him so that he could whisper something that couldn't be heard into her auditory receptacle that was on the opposite side of her head from the camera. The Nautolan woman smiled shyly as Nox whispered to her, and Jay noticed her cheeks turning dark blue; she was blushing. When Nox released her she bowed her head once, then collected the remaining mess and stood to her feet, heading off-cam, while Nox watched her go.

Jay ended the recording, and as he continued to search for more holovids of Nox he pondered the Dark Lord's actions. Most Sith would have yelled at the slave, a more cruel or vicious Sith might have punished her, not necessarily with physical force either. So the Dathomirian's show of kindness was all the more puzzling. Darth Nox's SIS profile indicated that he was ruthless, intelligent, and highly perceptive. There was nothing in it about him being merciful or kind to anyone under him. Jay thought about the young Nautolan blushing as Nox whispered to her, and the thought occurred to him that Nox might just be trying to seduce the slave. But even that didn't make sense, why seduce a slave? Sith simply took what they want, and if that happened to be the dignity of a slave, so be it. Why seduce the woman when he could have simply ordered her to give him what he desired?

As he pondered this, he suddenly came upon a holorecording of Darth Nox and Lord Serjay lounging in a hot tub. The two men sat across from one another, and bottles of intoxicants sat near their hands, placed there by servants or slaves, most likely.

"If you don't mind me saying so, those tattoos are quite exquisite my lord." Serjay said in compliment. "How can I procure full-body art of that caliber?"

Nox laughed "Be born of a Dathomirian Nightsister."

Serjay looked down at himself. "I think that might be a bit of a problem." He joked, and the two men laughed together.

"These tattoos do more than just make me look good," Nox supplied, indulging the other man's curiosity, "They were made with assistance from Nightsister magic, Dark Side sorcery that not only makes them permanent, but that ensured that I grew up strong and physically fit, regardless of my nutrition and environment. It is a common practice for Nightbrothers, as on Dathomir we are essentially slaves to the Nightsisters. They want to be able to abuse and mistreat us as much as possible, without sacrificing our usefulness to them."

Serjay nodded to show his gratitude at the Darth's expansion on the subject. "Yet you overcame that and became more powerful than those witches could ever hope to be." He paused briefly. "Have you ever considered taking revenge?"

"I was born on Dathomir," Nox replied "But I was sold as a slave by the time I was three standard years old. I was a slave right up until I was sent to Korriban." He stopped and seemed to reflect on something. "Two full decades of slavery." He said, almost mournfully. "I knew nothing else, but somehow I knew deep down, that I was destined for greater things." He spread his arms wide, "And look where I am now!" a savage grin spread across his face. "A Lord of the Dark Council, second only to the Emperor himself!"

"Indeed my lord," Serjay said respectfully. "Even the title of King of Alderaan pales in comparison to your position."

"Take heart, Serjay." Nox encouraged. "When you are crowned king you will be elevated to the title of Darth, Viktus consulted with the Council about it a few weeks ago." Serjay's smile became one of naked ambition and glee. Nox laughed at the sight, "Any requests for your Darth name?"

"Imperious." Serjay said after a moment of consideration. "Darth Imperious."

Nox nodded approvingly. "A fitting name for one who rules as a king." He seemed to consider something for a moment, then spoke again, "I have a gift for you, Serjay, one that I believe will reinforce your bid for the throne." He grabbed his comlink from its place near the bottles of alcohol and activated it, "bring it in." In moments, a dark-robed Sith apprentice entered, bearing a triangular artifact. From the look on faces of Serjay and the apprentice, the artifact radiated dark power. "I designed this artifact myself," Nox said casually "Upon being used it will grant you the power to siphon the life force of anyone with whom you have a force bond to give you more power in the Force, amplify your physical strength, or even to heal you." He stopped talking to take in the look on Serjay's face. "Normally this is a technique which takes months of intense study to learn, but I was inspired to create this shortcut of sorts by the late Darth Arho, who, as I'm sure you know, was formidable in battle because of this very technique. I thought it might be useful to someone looking to rule an entire world." He ended his little speech with a grim smile.

"My lord!" Serjay exclaimed, "You are most gracious!"

"Be mindful however," Nox warned him. "If you sacrifice too many to this technique's power, its usefulness decays. Sacrificing one person will produce a drastic and potent effect, sacrificing two will make the effect more potent than sacrificing one, but the power differential between one and two sacrifices is less than the differential between one sacrifice and none, and so on."

"I will keep that in the foremost of my mind." Lord Thul promised. Nox gestured towards the apprentice, and Serjay looked at the young man; "Take it to my quarters. See that it is secured, or your head will be its replacement." The casual threat, Jay knew, was to ensure the apprentice didn't attempt to steal the artifact for himself, and he marveled at the level of paranoia that was required to survive, let alone prosper, among the Sith.

When the apprentice had left, Serjay thought for a moment, then spoke in as calm and subservient a tone as he could muster. "My lord, why me? Wouldn't this artifact better be served in your hands where it can do the most damage to our enemies?" Nox chuckled. "Always thinking of the Empire, aren't you Lord Thul? That will get you killed eventually if you don't hold that loyalty in check and place yourself first. I created this artifact specifically for you, Serjay. I want you to succeed in your bid for the throne because that makes you and our alliance all the more valuable to me. Furthermore, as Councilor of the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge I am allowed to allocate any of the resources I recover, or in this case create, to whomever I please."

"Are you not concerned that my loyalty to my master, Darth Viktus, will override our alliance in a crisis?" Serjay asked.

"Betrayal is the game the Sith play endlessly," Nox said with calm self-assurance. "If you are so foolish as to attempt to betray me you will suffer defeat and death for it. If you are powerful enough to succeed, than I am unworthy of my title, my influence, and my power."

Serjay nodded sagely. "As always Darth Nox, your wisdom enlightens me."

"And besides," Nox said, a sinister gleam entering his eyes, "I have little need of such an artifact to destroy our enemies. For one thing I have already learned the technique. For another, I have plans in motion that will shake the Republic and the Jedi to their very core."

"Oh?" Serjay raised an eyebrow in avid curiosity. "Pray tell, my lord, what plans are these?"

Nox gave him only a wry smile, "Such a naked attempt to pry information, Lord Thul. I would hope you have greater political acumen than this, else the throne might very well be in danger of falling into enemy hands." Serjay stiffened, almost imperceptibly "But suffice to say, that when my plans come to completion, the Republic, as it is now, will no longer exist." Jay froze.

"They sound ambitious, my lord." Serjay replied. "But," he added quickly, "If there is any Sith in the Empire who could bring to fruition such ambitious and devastating machinations, it would be you. Your destruction of Thanaton and ascension to the Dark Council more than proved that."

An eerie gleam entered the Zabrak's eye. "Lord Thul, you have no idea."

* * *

Nox walked nonchalantly through the ruined courtyard of the Dark Temple. Around him, the fevered voices and shadowy forms of the possessed that haunted the Temple grounds flickered in and out of his awareness. He could feel the anger, hate, and rage of the forgotten wraiths that had armored themselves in the flesh of those sent to uncover the Dark Temple's secrets. They wanted to attack him, to overwhelm him and take his mind and body for their own, but they knew they couldn't succeed. They remembered the last time he had been here, how he had robbed them of perfectly good hosts with so little effort, and they knew to attack or even offend him might mean more punishment, so they stayed their ghostly hands.

Pleased that his previous visit had produced such a desirable effect on the ethereal parasites, Nox took the time to enjoy his surroundings. The aroma of the Dark Side was strong here, as strong as the sweet-smelling savor of a thick cloud of incense. It was tangible in the air around him, he could feel the dark whispering to him, subsuming him as it spoke of power, glory, and exultation. He allowed it to wrap around him, enjoying the experience more than any lover's embrace. He had enjoyed many women of many different species, but his one true love was the Dark Side of the Force.

After allowing himself a brief moment of reverie, Nox released his hold on the darkness and brought his focus back to the mundane realm. He was not here to bask in the Temple's dark glory, nor meditate on the Dark Side, he was here to find the HK droid piece that he needed. It's exact location was a mystery, but it was rumored to have been found here by one of Darth Hadra's expeditions before they all went insane and became possessed. All Nox knew was that it was somewhere in the courtyard, possibly even buried beneath it. But he wasn't about to scour every square foot of the entire courtyard to find it, he had a better idea. Removing a remote console from his belt, he tapped a button and waited a few minutes. His patience was rewarded when a small, disc-shaped droid, hovering a few meters off the ground, came flying up to him and beeped in acknowledgement upon reaching him. He entered the instructions into the remote, and the droid flew off towards the temple, rising high into the air to scan the area for anomalies like the ones he had instructed it to look for. Once it reached a certain height and position over the courtyard, the droid began scanning, streaming its results to the console screen. Nox followed the data as it unfolded, and soon enough his mind began to wander.

His recent good fortune in discovering the information he needed to continue perfecting his ritual was a sign that the Dark Side of the Force was working in concert with him, that his actions and plans were a part of its will. At the Battle of Ilum, he had been concerned that the Force was striking back at him through Malgus, attempting to take away the resources and influence he needed to conduct his plans without fear of interference or discovery. Of course he could have sided with Malgus, but for Nox an active Emperor and a united Empire were even more dangerous to his plans than a seemingly omniscient but apathetic Emperor and a fractured, feudal Empire. At least in the current Sith Empire, Nox could distract his rivals and pit them against each other. In any case, siding with Malgus was an idea that was only shown to be more foolish by the fact that the coup had failed.

Even before that, the Dark Side had been with him. His incursion into the Emperor's personal library seemed to go completely unnoticed by the Emperor or his Hand. If Nox didn't know better, he would swear Vitiate was completely absent, taking whatever amounted to a nap for an immortal. While he was confident that his machinations were in accordance with the will of the Dark Side, still, he had to be careful. Even for those who dwelled in the realm of the Force, the unforeseen could occur. He had to be ready for anything to happen, be ready to adapt and evolve to meet any unpredictable crisis or sudden changes to his plan. Failure to plan for the unexpected would be akin to inviting the unexpected in to wreak havoc and turn triumph into catastrophe.

The information scrolling by on the screen suddenly stopped. The droid had completed its scan, and Nox regarded the results: there were 6 locations that the data suggested to look. Calling the droid back to him, Nox approached the first area and, after a brief search around the general vicinity, instructed the droid to begin attempting to triangulate the position of the anomaly it had detected. Finding nothing, it requested further instruction. Nox told it to begin digging, placing signal boosters in the holes it created to enhance its scan results. While he watched the droid go about its work, Nox once more slipped back into the depths of his own thoughts.

Darth Aruk was becoming a problem, his audacious attempt to threaten Nox was typical of the Dark Council's head of the Sphere of Sith Philosophy. As staunch of a traditionalist as Thanaton had been, Aruk was also an adamant racist. He despised Nox simply for being neither human nor pureblood, and took every opportunity to undermine or discredit him. So far his efforts had all met with failure, but the most recent threat had been quite bold. Sending an emissary directly to Nox's place of residence bordered on being a both a personal insult and a threat on his life. Nox could see this one-sided feud quickly spiraling out of control, and he couldn't afford to run the risk of having his plans disrupted by some petty ronkworm. Of course, removing Aruk wouldn't necessarily solve the problem. His followers were just as prejudiced as he was, but any newly promoted member of the Dark Council would have to invest at least some time and effort into establishing their power base and asserting their authority over their sphere before they could turn their attention outward, and that might give Nox enough time to further his plans to the point where he could take care of the problem for good. If there was one thing Nox was good at, it was evading his enemies.

The droid returned to him, having found nothing. He instructed it to follow him and moved on to the next site, once more returning to the depths of his own mind once he had set the droid to work. The content of Aruk's threat hadn't escaped Nox's mind, if Ashara truly was being too zealous in incorporating her ideas of a united and placid Empire, that could become a serious problem. Her desires were a part of Nox's plans, but that was exactly why he needed her to be covert and subtle about introducing these ideals to the Empire. If she was too open about them it would draw unwanted attention to him, and might lead to his true plans being uncovered. He could not allow that. He would have to talk to her about this, get her side of the story and convince her that her ideals would not take root in the Imperial subconscious unless they were planted there in secrecy. Of course, forcing her to use deception and manipulation, even for a noble cause, would only accelerate her slow and agonizing fall, which suited Nox just fine. Convincing her even more that the good she wished to accomplish could not be realized through the Light Side was the way to get her to give herself fully to the Dark, and when she finally turned from the light that blinded her and saw the truth, nothing would stop them. Together they would rule this galaxy and bring order to the chaos that the Jedi and their wretched Republic created.

The droid beeped as it approached him, carrying something in its claw. Holding out his hand, he waited for the mechanical assistant to drop what it had found into it. When it did, he examined it for only a moment before he recognized it as a motivator for an HK-series droid. Thanks to the backward compatibility of the HK-51 model, he knew this part, old as it was, would work as a replacement for the broken one, after he had it cleaned and examined that is. He was glad for the information about where Darth Hadra's team had been camped, without it he would have had to scour the entire temple grounds himself, which would have taken days of his valuable time, days he couldn't afford to lose. He doubted the Reclamation Service teams he had dispatched to Tattoine, Taris, and Hoth would be so lucky. They had far less information to go on, and a lot of ground to cover, but he knew they would come through. The loyalty of his underlings was born out of respect, but with a healthy level of fear. They knew Nox rewarded those who performed admirably, and that drove them to exceptionality far more effectively than fear of failure. They also knew that Nox punished those who failed him according to their failure, which had established his reputation as a far more fair-minded master than the others on the Dark Council.

That meant there was only a few places left in the galaxy where Nox might find what he needed, and as he pocketed the droid motivator and sent the flying remote droid back to its dispatch station, he had already decided which one he was going to next.

* * *

Nox surveyed the ruins of the Foundry as he strolled through the wide corridors. The ancient space station had been gutted and stripped of almost everything of value, then left to orbit a dwarf star in the far reaches of the Outer Rim, and with each room Nox was beginning to feel concerned that whatever part he hoped to find here would be missing. Despite his worries, he felt old memories begin to surface as he walked and viewed the carcass of what had once been a one of the greatest threats to the Empire. He remembered tearing through these halls, a newly anointed Lord of the Sith, side by side with the Grand Champion of the Great Hunt, his fellow Sith Lord Galadius, and the mysterious Cipher Nine of Imperial Intelligence. In what had arguably been their greatest battle, and greatest triumph, the Imperial Vanguard had torn through the ancient droid factory's defenses one after the other. Jedi defenders had fallen in their hundreds, battle droids in their thousands. They had taken down HK-47 in the Foundry's core, and that was the reason Nox was here. While the chassis of the assassin droid had been recovered by the Imperial Reclamation Service under Thanaton's rule, it had been passed into the hands of Darth Hadra, head of the Empire's Sphere of Technology, who in turn allocated it to Darth Malgus, along with the Foundry itself, for repairs and use in the front lines. The Vanguard had defeated the droid once more in the Battle of Ilum on the Emperor's space station, but what had happened to the droid's remains after that was a mystery, a mystery Nox had set his growing network of spies and informants on unraveling.

But here, in the ruins of an old triumph, he hoped to find parts that had perhaps been missed by the Reclamation Service in the initial recovery, or even a secret stash of spare parts that Revan was rumored to have kept. The man himself had nearly said as much when the Imperial Vanguard had confronted him in the Foundry's control center, claiming he could simply rebuild the loyal assassin droid, a feat that would be nearly impossible unless he had at least handful of parts hidden somewhere. Given that the Foundry had been Revan's impromptu command center for his planned attack on the Empire, it stood to reason that he might keep those parts on hand. It's not like he had known he would be defeated and that Nox would need those parts, so the only way such a cache could have been removed is if it had been found by the I.R.S. or the Schism Collective. Reaching the Core room, Nox began to scour the place with a thorough intensity that belied his eagerness and impatience. After a full standard hour of searching, he came to the conclusion that any parts left here after the battle all those years ago were long gone. He supposed he should have expected as much, even before his ascension to power the Reclamation Service had been exemplary, and he should have known better than to believe they wouldn't scour and scan every square inch of the room for valuable or useful items. Still, that left Revan's stash to find, and as thorough as the I.R.S. was back then, Nox doubted that, even collectively, they could outsmart Revan.

Minutes later, upon reaching the Command Center, Nox was hit by an intense feeling of nostalgia. The sensation was quickly followed by a vision that overwhelmed his senses and transported him through space and time to the past. He saw Galadius and himself battling Revan, Galadius's crimson blade locking with Revan's violet one again and again as Nox, then known as Lord Kallig, tried to exploit the holes in the Jedi Master's defenses to land a killing blow. Turning his head to one side, Nox saw Nei'tiri and Cipher Nine alternating between firing blaster bolts and shoring up the two Sith with Kolto. Nox watched as the battle took a sudden turn, his own memories giving the vision clarity and focus. Revan lashed out in a Force push, sending Galadius tumbling off the platform on which the Command Center sat, and into the abyss, though with the asteroid's weak gravity, at a much slower rate and softer angle than he would have on an actual planet. Believing his most dangerous enemy to be gone, Revan turned on the younger Nox and began ferociously attacking him. Nox watched as his younger self desperately struggled to defend himself against the intense offensive. He managed to turn so that his back faced the Command Center Console, but despite the support from two kolto probes and covering fire laid down by the Cipher, Revan managed to catch the aspiring Sith off-guard with a dizzying array of attacks that made the conflict seem more like a dance than a battle.

His guard down, young Nox was slammed into the Command Center console with another Force push, and Revan whirled on the bounty hunter and Imperial agent. In a flash of Force speed, he seemed to instantly cross the meters of distance between them and came at Nei'tiri with his lightsaber swinging. The clever Mandolorian barely managed to dodge in time, but in doing so exposed herself to a kick from the Jedi master that knocked her to the ground. Revan raised his lightsaber to execute her, only to be sent sprawling by a full-blown body slam from Lord Galadius. The Sith warrior had leaped from one floating asteroid fragment to another, using the Force and the low gravity to his advantage. Leaping from the closest fragment floating by the exposed Command Center platform, he had aimed his leap to slam him right into the Jedi, sending the man staggering from the sheer shock of being hit by a large, solid object travelling at high speed while he was completely unaware. Nox glanced back to where the younger version of him had been slumped against the console. He was now standing, one hand raised in front of his face in a pose of concentration. He had been shrouding Galadius's presence from Revan, clouding the Jedi's mind to prevent him from seeing the future, and thus avoid Galadius's attack. But the Force drew Nox's attention past himself, to the console.

By shielding himself with the Force, the younger Nox had avoided becoming seriously injured, and the console he hit had instead suffered the damage. The dented and buckled metal had been broken open in some places, and through one of these holes Nox could see two wires of opposite colors running side by side. Having seen and studied similar consoles, Nox knew that these wires were the console's primary power lines, and thus were almost always unbroken. However, these particular wires had been divided in half, with each half ending in connectors that linked the two halves of each line together. Basically this did nothing and was a completely pointless exercise, but Nox doubted that Revan would have wasted any time better spent preparing for the inevitable battle with the Empire by amusing himself with a pointless activity. That meant the wires had been altered for a reason, and Nox was already positive he knew what the reason was.

The vision faded, and Nox approached the broken console. Reaching it, he looked for and found the warped panel that covered the wires he had seen in the vision. Removing it, he disconnected the wires, watching the dimly lit console go dark as it lost power. After checking for any other tampering, Nox connected the wires again, only this time each half of the wire was connected to the opposite half of its counterpart. The console blinked back on, but it wasn't what Nox saw that interested him, it was what he heard. The sound of a lock opening. Rising to his feet, he turned around and used his Force sight. Glancing at the floor of the command platform in the direction the sound had come from he saw exactly what he expected to see; a maintenance compartment with a custom lock, no doubt installed by Revan so that only he could have access to it. Approaching the hidden trap door, Nox used the Force to lift it open, as it had no other method of release, and climbed inside. The space was small, and it didn't take Nox long to find the toolbox hidden behind a radiator pipe and a mess of wires. He broke the lock and looked inside, a smile spreading across his face as he saw what it contained. He lifted the loyalty chip out of the box, holding it up to the light given off by the compartment's tiny illuminator, the chip was in mint condition, as if brand new.

This would do, this would do very nicely.

* * *

Xalek stalked the halls of the Semak building, cloaked in the dark embrace of the Force, hidden from all manner of detection. He slipped past the countless Republic guards patrolling the wide halls, their bright, self-righteous uniforms and armor at odds with the stalwart, functional gray of the building's utterly Imperial design. The headquarters of the Ministry of Logistics on Detrimos, the building was named after Dannis Semak, one-time Minister of Logistics and regarded as a hero among the Imperial populace for his reforms, which added additional shifts to formerly overstretched industries at no cost to the workers. These reforms had been made in the service of increasing efficiency, by reducing the number of workers who suffered burnout from being overworked and thus became less productive. They had also increased morale significantly, and resulted in a huge boom in the Imperial economy that had lasted for over fifty years.

That hardly mattered now though. The building was swarming with Republic wretches, ripe for the slaughter. Xalek was here for one wretch in particular. He always enjoyed these missions, though in a much different way from the battle lust he felt in open combat. As a warrior, Xalek took great pleasure in fighting on the battlefield, using nothing more than sheer power and skill to defeat his foes. But assassinations, they held a special, unique appeal to him. His interest in them had begun after becoming apprenticed to Darth Nox, while his master was still called Lord Kallig. They had fought on the great battlefields of Corellia, yes, but inexplicably Xalek had found the missions where he and his master infiltrated the enemy's greatest bastions and struck from the shadows, sowing fear and chaos, to be addictive.

He always savored the array of darker emotions their attacks instilled in the enemy, not even the Jedi were immune. When he and his master had infiltrated the headquarters of the Green Jedi, they had slain many Knights and Padawans as well as quite a few Jedi Masters, four of which were extraordinarily powerful in the Force and exceptionally trained. Nevertheless, they too had fallen before the combined might of the two Sith. They had fought them in pairs, with his master's Force presence invigorating and empowering him, and Darth Nox more than able to hamper the Force and martial abilities of the Jedi Masters, Xalek had been able to lay claim to many of the blows that spelled their end and had even succeeded in executing two of them. He looked back on those battles with pride, missions like those had been his shining glory. Compared to those days, this mission was child's play.

Rounding a corner, he nearly ran into the guards that were standing there, and managed to recover in time to prevent a collision. He cursed himself for not using the technique his master had taught him to meditate while in action, and slipped between the two sentinels, resolving to focus on the objective until it was complete. The objective was to assassinate General Fenharr, the leader of the Republic's ground forces. With him dead, the Republic forces would briefly be in a state of chaos, a state that the Empire could exploit to route them and send them scurrying back into orbit.

Ducking into a side corridor, Xalek followed the image of the building plans that he had burned into his brain before leaving the base. Another left, a right, then two more lefts brought him to the maintenance turbolifts. With a quick glance around and an extension of his awareness through the Force, he determined that he was momentarily safe and released his cloak. He was almost sad to feel the embrace of the Dark Side slip from him, but he wanted to perform full-blown meditation on the way to the subbasement that the general was using as a nerve center. He checked his chrono after pressing the button to summon the lift. There were only six minutes until the attack, if the general was still alive by then the battle's outcome would be uncertain. He needed to act quickly and decisively.

The lift reached his floor and he frowned, there was someone inside. He reached for his lightsaber as the doors opened and brandished it as the turbolift was revealed to contain Lord Willsaam. She was leaning nonchalantly against the lift's back wall and looked up at him standing in the doorway. He sheathed his lightsaber.

"Still following me I see." She said in a casual tone of mock exasperation. Xalek couldn't help but smile as he stepped into the lift. The doors closed and they began to descend.

"The stench of your weakness is overpowering, it's hard not to follow."

"Try me." She said in a low tone. "I'll show you overpowering."

"Your hygiene is not my concern."

"You're one to talk of hygiene, _alien_."

"I am indeed, after all I bathe in the blood of my enemies quite often."

"That was sarcasm."

"And my response wasn't."

They rode in silence for a few seconds, then Jaesa spoke again.

"Why are you here?"

"I have business with the general." Xalek replied vaguely.

"As do I." Jaesa replied evenly.

"I knew you were open-minded, but I didn't think you'd go that far with a Republic stooge." Xalek said with a wicked grin.

"Idiot!" Jaesa hissed. "I'm here for information, once I'm finished downloading what I need from his databanks I'm gone."

"I'm sure he'll be more than happy to empty the contents of his databanks into your database." Xalek teased, his glee rising with Jaesa's ire.

She whirled and swung a fist at him. He caught it in a single, clawed hand, moving the other to intercept her second shot at his gut. Once he had both her hands firmly in his grasp he twisted to the side to avoid receiving her knee in his groin, opting instead to take the blow on his thigh. She reared her head back to head-butt him, but he leaned his head to the side so that she struck his shoulder armor. Before she could attempt a second assault, he summoned the strength of the Force and whirled her around, still holding her fists in his claws. The result was that she ended up in position similar to wearing a straightjacket, her arms were crossed over her chest, held firmly in the Kaleesh's grip, with her back against his pectorals in a twisted version of a romantic embrace. She squirmed in his grip and screamed in frustration, but he held on tight. Behind his mask, his grin was as wide as a Nexu's, and he laughed boisterously as she struggled against his durasteel hold. Suddenly, she stopped struggling, and he felt her anger begin to build to a fever pitch as the air become charged with electricity. He realized she was about to retaliate with the Force, and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"I wouldn't do that, Lord Willsaam, the blast will overload the power conduits for the turbolift and kill us both in the explosion."

He sensed the power begin to die away, not gone, but suppressed and contained for release later. He smiled, she was so riled up now that she would be more than eager to fight the general or anyone else they encountered, which was exactly what Xalek had wanted in the first place. Well...not just that. He focused on the feeling of having her body pressed against his, enjoyed it, reveled in it. He could feel her emotions raging within her; hatred, anger, disgust, and...something else, something more elusive, something she was desperately trying to suppress.

"Are you going to release me? Or do I have to start breaking limbs?" She asked, her tone brimming with barely contained rage.

"Only if you promise to be reasonable and save your bloodlust for our mutual foes." Xalek demanded. When she nodded in agreement her released her. She immediately leapt from his grasp and whirled around to face him. For a moment, Xalek thought she was going to attack him again, but she just stood there with her gloved fist clenched in tight fists, her voluptuous body trembling with fury.

"When I kill you," she seethed "I will make sure you have as slow and agonizing a death as possible." Xalek regarded her with deceptive calm, his own lust and rage melding into a perfect storm of passion that consumed him.

"You will try," He said "But I think you will find that I will always be your superior, Jaesa." He could almost feel her gritting her teeth.

"I will kill you, I swear it!"

"But first," Xalek said, motioning as the turbolift stopped and the doors slid open "these Republic dogs." The tall, bulky Twi'lek male wearing a general's armor, hunched over the holoprojector he was using as a strategy board, stood up and turned to face the open lift at the sound of Xalek's voice. Seeing the two Sith, he drew his blaster rifle and opened fire on them. Jaesa's lightsaber was out and deflecting bolts before Xalek even moved. The human female charged her blue-skinned foe, attacking with the ferocity of a rakghoul. Her lightsaber clashed uselessly against the general's combat shields, and she was forced to go on the defensive to prevent a steady stream of bolts from ripping her in two. Exiting the lift, Xalek drew his lightsaber, but instead of employing it against his enemy, he gestured with his free hand as if grabbing something. General Fenharr was levitated into the air, and he stopped firing as he struggled to process the situation. Xalek didn't give him a chance. With a swift, sidelong motion he hurled the general into the wall of the chamber.

The energy shield miraculously held, but began to shudder when Jaesa unleashed a sustained stream of lightning at the general, who was slowly climbing to his feet. The blue sphere had protected him from the impact, absorbing the kinetic energy that might normally have broken his bones. Xalek joined Jaesa in channeling lightning at their quarry. To his credit, even as the shield keeping him not just unscathed but alive, flickered, the man simply rose to his feet, grabbed a plasma grenade from his belt, activated it, and lobbed it at Jaesa. Xalek moved in a flash, intercepting the grenade in mid-air and hurling it at the holoprojector. Just as quickly, he deflected the subsequent blaster bolts the big Twi'lek had unleashed in an attempt to disrupt Jaesa's outpouring of liquid hatred. Just then, the energy shield flickered and died, the generator on his back sparking as it overloaded. Jaesa's volts enveloped the man like hungry vipers, snaking around him in an embrace that should have scorched his flesh and left him a burnt husk. Instead, they danced over the surface of an invisible barrier that clung to his form; his personal shield. Xalek moved in on the doomed soldier with a slow, methodical malice befitting the spectre of death. The general unleashed another burst of blaster bolts, and Xalek's lightsaber protected Jaesa from the barrage. The man lobbed a grenade at her, and Xalek caught it with the Force and sent it flying back towards the general. The Twi'lek dodged, placing himself with his back to the ruined holoprojector, now in flames, as Xalek continued his slow and intimidating approach.

Reaching out with the Force, Xalek felt the man's mind. It was disciplined, battle-hardened, and highly structured, but not for long. Xalek planted the seed of fear, and watched with increasing satisfaction as the man turned to him and began to focus all of his attacks on the Kaleesh warrior approaching him. But every salvo was deflected, every mortar round redirected with the Force. Xalek felt his power become a malevolent aura surrounding him as he drew closer and closer to the general, and the personal shield surrounding the man began to give way under the constant and intense power of Jaesa's lightning, which hadn't stopped since she had first begun to channel it. Xalek savored the terror that was beginning to grow in the man's eyes, as if Xalek were death itself, come to claim him.

When Xalek was a few meters from the man, he stopped and gathered his power, unleashing it in a single, thunderous blast upon the petrified soldier. The crack that was released when the wave of electricity struck the man's shield was ear-splitting, and Xalek could barely hear the man's screams as Jaesa's ravenous volts consumed his flesh where he stood. Blown backwards by the sheer impact of Xalek's attack, the screaming victim fell back into the inferno that had once been the holoprojector, and Xalek could swear his screams got louder, although that may have just been his own hearing coming back to him.

Xalek turned to Jaesa when he realized that the stream of lightning was still going. She stood, trembling, her eyes glowing with violet energy as the Dark Side manifested itself. Her hatred and rage was a storm of Force energy that electrified the air around her. He tasted it and it pleased him to have helped evoke such raw emotion in her. Xalek could sense her power beginning to wane as the former general's screams of agony died with him, and he moved to catch her, just in time as it turned out, when the Dark Side released her from its grip and her exhausted body gave out on her momentarily. Her slender frame felt limp and frail in his arms, and she leaned against him without caring what she was doing, completely and utterly drained. Her own fury had almost been greater than her body could take, which was how she had managed to channel her Force lightning longer than any Force user Xalek had ever heard of - aside his master, of course. Based on how it had affected her though, he doubted she would be able to do it again anytime soon.

He felt immensely pleased with himself that he had inspired such passion in her that she had been able to accomplish such a feat, but as he felt her struggle to stand and regain her strength, he felt a stab of remorse at manipulating her for his own gain to the point where she had quite possibly almost died from overexertion. He quickly swept the feeling away, regret was for the weak. The Sith didn't feel regret, they only acted and embraced the consequences. They did not reflect or second-guess themselves, they responded to their own self-determination.

He released her when she could stand, and she surveyed the scene with displeasure.

"I needed that holoprojector." She complained. Xalek gestured to the console against the far wall.

"Will that do for your information extraction?" She eyed the console with a critical gaze.

"I think so." She walked over and began entering commands. Moments later she inserted a data spike, and began a download. Xalek glanced over to the general's impromptu funeral pyre and extended a hand. Levitated by the Force, the scorched and burning belt of the corpse, with three intact grenades attached, rose above the flames and flew to Xalek's hand. Blowing out the fire still burning on the object, Xalek removed one grenade and tossed the belt into the corner. He stared at the small sphere for a moment, then, with surgical precision, created a miniscule crack in the durasteel shell that had prevented the grenade from exploding the moment it hit the fire. He felt Jaesa approach and turned to walk beside her as she headed towards the lift, the data spike firmly secured on her belt. Upon entering the lift, Xalek tossed the grenade across the large room and into the blaze. The lift doors closed and the lift began to rise. He looked at his chrono just as it turned to zero, and as he felt the explosion rumble up from below, he smiled.

* * *

Nox sat calmly on a couch in the main cabin of _Rider_. He had abandoned his usual battle armor and helm for a simple black cloak over a dark red vest and black pants. Where he was going, these garments would be more useful to him than a full suit of battle armor and a helm that looked like a skull. Of course, with his tattoos he would still stick out - Nightbrothers were rarely seen outside of Dathomir or slave pens, and thus were a rarity in the Republic. But Nox was confident that with some changes in his body language and some subtle mind control of observers, he could make himself seem entirely insignificant and unimportant.

The _Rider_ was a freighter owned by a smuggler named Delriss Evik. A Twi'Lek, she was a former slave who escaped her brutal Hutt masters and managed to secure Republic citizenship. Despite the Republic saving her from being pursued by the Hutts for the rest of her life, she held no loyalty to them, and was somewhat well-known for working for anyone who paid enough - except for Hutts, obviously. Nox had hired her because he was confident she would be able to handle this job without issue, but he had kept his identity a secret, even from her. All she needed to know, was that he was wealthy.

Nox stiffened when he felt this ship come out of hyperspace. "We're here." Came a soft, feminine voice over the P.A. system. Nox got up from the couch and walked over to the nearby viewport, his heartbeat quickening with anticipation when he saw it, Coruscant, the heart of the Republic. "Our passenger might want to make his way to the cargo hold," Delriss's voice said over the speaker. "We'll be landing at the spaceport in a quarter of an hour, and we want the inspector to find everything in order, don't we?" Nox turned from the viewport and began to walk through the halls of the freighter towards the cargo hold. He wasn't going to enjoy this, but it was necessary. As he walked past the kitchen, he briefly saw two of the Rider's crew members; the Gen'dai and the Theelin, making themselves various meals from rather alien and disgusting looking ingredients. Continuing his march, he reached and entered the cargo hold, crossing the large room and arriving at a completely inconspicuous part of floor. When he found the hidden button on the wall and pressed it, the trap door popped open, revealing a smuggling compartment. He climbed into it and pulled the door shut after him.

After what felt like an hour of waiting, he felt the ship power down and assumed they had landed. All he had to do now was wait until after the cargo inspection, when Delriss would retrieve him and see him smuggled off the ship to avoid any unwelcome questions. His patience was rewarded soon enough, when he heard the sound of high-heeled footsteps approaching the cargo hold. His first instinct was to reach out with the Force, but he restrained himself. He needed to avoid using the Force as much as possible on this mission. Every use of the Force, especially the Dark Side, would increase his chances of being discovered by the Jedi. The Force movements of a Dark Side wielder as powerful as him could not be hidden on a planet so strong in the Light, not without altering the planet's entire aura at least.

He heard the footsteps descend the stairs into the cargo hold and stop, then a female voice: "This is all of your cargo, Captain?"

"Yeah, just like I told you." Came Delriss's response.

The footsteps began again and Nox felt them move throughout the cargo hold as the inspector examined each piece of cargo. Then the footsteps stopped.

"Open it." The female voice demanded. There was a pause, then footsteps as Delriss crossed the hold to open the cargo container the inspector had indicated. There was a soft hiss when the container was opened and Delriss's voice reached Nox's ears.

"Like I told ya, everything in here is on the manifest."

There was another pause, then the inspector's footsteps began again. There was a click as Delriss closed the container, but she didn't follow the inspector. Nox felt the inspector come closer and closer to his hiding place, and he forced himself to remain still and calm. Suddenly, the inspector stopped right over top of him, and she tapped the trap door with her foot.

Nox knew now was the time, it was now or never. He reached out with the Force and seized her mind. _There is nothing here. Your inspection is complete, give the captain clearance and go about your business._

"My inspection is complete," the inspector said to Delriss. "I'll give you your clearance and leave you alone."

Delriss didn't say anything, no doubt she was speechless with shock that the inspector had seemingly failed to notice the hollow sound the trap door had made when she tapped it. Nox heard the sound of the inspector's footsteps leaving the cargo hold and disappearing down the hall. Delriss waited for the sound of the ship's hatch closing before she walked across the cargo hold and opened the trap door. Nox climbed out, stretching his cramped limbs.

"You'll need those stretches." Delriss remarked. Nox looked at her questioningly. She gestured towards the largest container in the hold. "Because that's your ride out."

* * *

Valkra watched the speeders zooming by overhead as he walked, with his wife Kira walking beside him. The big Iridonian was one of the Jedi Order's newest Masters, and the sole Jedi who had defeated the Sith Emperor. But that was not what he considered to be his greatest achievement. He looked sidelong at his partner, Kira. The two Jedi had been in this secret marriage just short of a year, and rather than submit their relationship to the rigorous and zealous oversight of the Jedi High Council, they had opted to keep their love a secret for as long as possible and enjoy it while it lasted. Valkra continued to watch Kira as she gazed out at the unnatural skyline. They were far from the Jedi Temple, and both dressed in clothes meant to help them mingle with the crowds, instead of their Jedi robes, so Valkra had no reservations about showing affection. Kira must have felt him watching because she turned and caught his gaze, "What?" But Valkra just smiled. "Stop grinning like an idiot." Kira said, enjoying the attention.

"You're cute when you're lost in thought." He said, his goofy grin staying plastered on his face. She punched his shoulder affectionately.

"You love-sick bantha." She accused jokingly. "I can't even burp without you finding it cute."

"Well it's not my fault you burp like a baby nerf." Valkra protested. He leaned in closer and kissed her on the forehead. "Nor is it my fault that I love you."

"Awww, don't go soft on me now." She said teasingly, wrapping her arms around him. "I need you to stay big and tough for me."

"I'm only soft with you." Valkra replied, smiling down at her. The waves of happiness that radiated off of her as they stared into each other's eyes crashed over him, and he couldn't help but share in it. She moved in and kissed him.

"I love you big guy, I mean it."

"I know you do," He said, tightening his arms around her waist and pulling her closer so her body was pressed against his. "and I love you too."

"Don't leave me, ever." She said softly. "I need you around a good long while, you hear me?"

"Same to you." Valkra whispered back. "When this war is over I want us to retire, together, to a secret mountain villa on Alderaan."

"Please," Kira begged, "I need to hear you say it." Valkra could hear the worry in her voice and sense her fear.

"I'm never leaving you Kira." The tall, broad-shouldered Iridonian said with firm conviction. "I'm going to be with you every day of your life, I promise." He felt her relax and her fear evaporate.

"What brought this on?" He asked as they began walking. "Has something troubled you lately?" Kira looked pensive for a moment, but Valkra put her at ease.

"Kira, if you're having visions you shouldn't bottle them up, that will only strengthen your fear, and that path leads into darkness. You know you can tell me, sweet one."

"It's not visions exactly just...impressions, feelings, a vague sense of foreboding and...dread." She paused and looked directly into his eyes. "I get them every time I think of our future together."

Valkra thought for a moment before he spoke. "Have you tried meditating on the future - our future - specifically?" She shook her head.

"No, I've been too afraid of what I might find."

"Could this maybe have something to do with the Emperor? Could the link to him somehow be passively clouding your mind? You were, after all, still able to hear his voice in your head after we killed him on Dromund Kaas." Kira considered it.

"I don't know, maybe." Her face relaxed somewhat and a small smile began to show. "Maybe you're right, maybe I'm just -" She stopped mid-sentence, and mid-stride, and stood completely rigid, as if paralyzed. A bolt of fear shot through Valkra's heart and it took only a sheer force of will to restrain it.

"Kira? Kira!" He looked into her seemingly sightless eyes and shook her. "Kira!" She snapped out of it, but the petrified look on her face remained.

"He's here." She breathed.

"Who? Who's here?"

"The Emperor." Her face grew pale, as if she was weakened by the very word.

"No, no that's impossible." Valkra said, barely restraining the rising panic that threatened to leap from his throat and spill out over his words. "We killed him Kira, I saw - no - _felt_ him die!"

"He's here, on Coruscant." She said with terrified certainty now. "It was only for the briefest of moments but I felt him."

"Are you sure?" Valkra asked. It was taking every ounce of willpower he had to squash his fear and let reason guide him, but he was doing it. "If it was really him, why didn't I sense him too? Did you sense him through your link to him?" Kira paused, and her emotionally-charged mind began to slowly make its way back to logic.

"No," she said after a few moments of thought. "But it had to be him, it was like a...cold void in the Force, a complete absence. Nothing could be like that except him." Valkra's holocom suddenly chimed and he briefly checked the caller ID.

"It's Scourge." He grabbed Kira's arm and lead her off the street and into a vacant alley. He scanned the alley with his Force vision to determine if anyone could be listening. When he was certain they were alone he activated the holocom, and the small image of the bald, muscular, black-armored Sith Pureblood known as Lord Scourge materialized.

"Did you feel that Jedi?" He asked apprehensively, the urgency in his tone apparent.

"I didn't feel anything," Valkra replied "But Kira certainly felt something. She claims the Emperor is here, on Coruscant."

"I felt it too," Scourge said, nodding to Kira in affirmation. "But it is not the Emperor. The differences are subtle, difficult to distinguish, but having spent three hundred years by his side, I'm certain: it is not Vitiate."

"Are you sure?" Kira asked. "Like, completely? It felt the exact same to me." Scourge shook his head.

"Like I said, the differences are subtle. This Force signature was similar, but fundamentally unique."

"Then why were only you and me able to sense it?" Kira challenged. Scourge seemed to think about this for a moment.

"I believe that whatever sorcery is hiding the source of this Force aberration is powerful enough to conceal it from all but those beings most highly attuned to the Dark Side." Kira refused to give up.

"But Valkra was under the Emperor's control once, and he's been in his presence before, why didn't he feel anything?"

"Having your mind dominated by the Emperor and being attuned to the Dark Side are two different things." Scourge supplied with remarkable calm in the face of Kira's persistence. "Most likely we only sensed anything at all because of our respective connections to Vitiate, which persist despite his death." Kira opened her mouth to speak but Valkra cut her off with a gesture.

"Did either of you sense where the source was? Regardless of who or what it is we seem to be the only ones who know about it, so we need to find and capture it as soon as possible."

"I agree, we can argue about what it is after we contain it." Scourge added. Kira sighed.

"Alright, but I don't like this. We should be calling for backup."

"And what if it is the Emperor?" Valkra asked her. "Then all our backup will suddenly become his backup." He turned back to Scourge. "Where was the source?"

"I do not know." The pureblood admitted. "I could sense that it was on Coruscant, but nothing more."

"I didn't get any more than he did." Kira added. "It vanished as soon as it appeared." Valkra considered this for a moment.

"Scourge, meet us in the Senate Plaza." He ordered. "We'll be there within the hour."

"What are you planning to do Jedi?" Scourge asked with genuine curiosity.

"If this power won't reveal itself, perhaps the three of us can reveal it."

* * *

Nox strode purposefully through the dark streets of Coruscant's lower levels. Around him, the various denizens of the planet's underworld congregated in the dim light of ancient illuminators. His desire to remain unnoticed was shared by most of the beings around him, and in a strange, unspoken social contract everyone simply seemed to ignore each other. Of course, this suited Nox just fine. Despite being shrouded in the mundane, his appearance was still something that would sear him into the memory of anyone who gave him a second glance. Becoming a vivid recollection in anyone's consciousness was something he could not afford. After taking a few side streets, he emerged from an alley across from a cantina called "the Pulsar". A gaudy establishment decorated with bright, flashing neons and aggressive advertisements, the Pulsar looked like it belonged in the Red Light Sector of Nar Shadda. Nox could hear the mingled roars of laughter, music, and loud conversation.

He crossed the street and entered the cantina, the sights, sounds, and smells overwhelmed him all at once. Everyone in the room was either too drunk, too self-absorbed, or too used to living in Galactic City's underbelly to notice the tattooed Zabrak wearing a long black cloak enter the cantina and make his way to a table in the middle distance from the door. Seating himself, Nox adopted a relaxed position while secretly scanning the simple minds of the room's occupants. Most of the patrons were criminals, thugs, bounty hunters, pickpockets or various other lowlifes, but there were a few interesting finds in the mix. There were two regional leaders of the Black Sun and the Exchange conducting a secret business meeting near the stage where the band was playing. At the bar, drowning himself in Corellian Ale, was a smuggler who had personally seen the Sith's reclamation of Korriban decades earlier. Peering a little deeper, Nox was surprised to find memories of meeting Satele Shan and Jace Malcom in the holo-album of the man's memory. Sensing the mental intrusion, the drunken smuggler jerked around and hazily scanned the crowd for whoever was invading his addled mind. Nox quickly pulled back into himself and focused on various locations around the room until the now-paranoid smuggler picked himself up off the barstool and stumbled out the door.

Nox turned his attention to the last target of interest; a Republic Senator. A small, slight human female of early middle age seated in the far back corner. Her eyes constantly darted furtively around the room as if looking for someone, and her fear was like a sweet-smelling savor to Nox. Amateur, he thought. Only a rookie would choose a spot so far back, the stereotypical spot in every cantina for a secret meeting. Only a rookie would display such naked emotion and vulnerability. Only a rookie would come dressed in low-quality but unworn clothing. It was obvious she had assembled her "disguise" earlier that day. Finished with his threat analysis, Nox signaled the Theelin waitress and ordered a Calamarian Solar Shower with extra poligita. When she brought him his order, he reclined in his chair and pretended to savor the drink while he kept his guard up. After a few minutes of waiting, Nox felt someone pass by him about one table over. He directed his gaze and identified the young Feeorin as being his contact. He watched the alien seat herself three tables away, facing the bar.

Nox bit down on the tooth implant he used to activate his secure comm, feeling the vibrations in his gums as the channel opened. A second vibration rattled his teeth as the channel opened on her end. The tooth implants would allow them to converse in the lowest whispers and hear each other without difficulty from any distance, the comms were even better for secrecy if you could speak without moving your lips, as the tooth implants picked up the vibrations of a beings vocal chords and tongue rather than the sounds issuing from the speaker's lips.

"Why did I have to meet you on Coruscant?" Nox asked immediately.

"I'm being watched by Security." Came the hushed reply. "I can't leave the planet without raising suspicion." Nox growled in mild anger.

"So that's why you couldn't just send me the location via secure holonet link, got involved in something you shouldn't have, did you?"

"Events were out of my control," was her response "Did you come to get your information or berate me for my bad luck?" Suppressing his anger, Nox responded in a low tone that indicated he was still angry, but was more interested in getting the information he came for.

"So what's the location?"

"The Temple." Nox was silent for a moment while he processed that particular bit of information.

"You're kidding."

"No." Another pause.

"Then why is it so hard to get a hold of? The Temple is deserted and in ruins, how hard can it be to retrieve one little droid part from some ruins?"

"It's not deserted." The Feeorin said. "It's home to Sith and some Imperial troops, remnants from the Sacking that were somehow abandoned and trapped here after the Empire packed up and went home."

"Interesting, so that's how you lost three men trying to retrieve it."

"Three good men." The Feeorin asserted. Nox snorted.

"If they were as good as you say, a small group of weathered Imps and some Sith weaklings wouldn't have posed a threat." He took a huge swig from his drink, finishing it. "But it hardly matters now. Thank you for the information, I'll be taking it from here."

"You're going in there alone?" Nox felt a sting of annoyance at the incredulous undertone of her voice.

"Yes, and you would do well not to underestimate me, or I will follow through on my temptation to use you as a meat shield." He hissed. He bit down to close the channel and stood to his feet. He was walking towards the entrance when a large Nikto came out of nowhere and bumped into him. Briefly stunned at being taken by surprise, Nox's shock quickly turned to anger when the big, leathery oaf got right in his face and growled;

"You got a problem buddy?" Nox could smell the Virulaga on his breath. A potent intoxicant, Virulaga heightened the senses, increasing blood flow and aggressive tendencies. This Nikto was so drunk he was looking for a fight, and he'd pegged Nox as a suitable victim. Were it not for Nox's desire to remain unnoticed, that would have been his last mistake.

"No problem." Nox replied in a calm, even tone. "My mistake." The thug snarled.

"Well then maybe you should watch where you're going!"

"I understand." Nox said, looking to get around him. "I'll be more careful next time."

"I don't think you will." The man sneered. "I think I need to teach you a lesson."

 _Kark. So much for staying under the radar_ , Nox thought to himself. He saw the alien rear back his fist to land a solid blow to his face. Suppressing the rising tide of dark energy welling up in him, Nox slipped to the side, using the bodily momentum of the swing to send the Nikto flying over his shoulder, straight into a table of four thugs playing cards. The flimsy table shattered like glass under the Nikto's weight and the angry card players leaped to their feet and stared daggers at Nox.

He dropped his hood, enjoying the expressions of surprise and fear that briefly flashed across the faces of all four men, and fell into a ready stance as the four gangsters attacked him. Nox dodged the first one's charge and landed two punches; one on his face, stunning him, the other in his abdomen, sending him flying into the empty table next to them. Without missing a beat, Nox blocked the second assailant's driving blow to his chest with a sweep of his left arm and landed a strong uppercut on his enemy's chin, making him stagger. The third assailant drew a vibroknife and the fourth drew a blaster. In a flash, Nox grabbed the third attacker by his forearms, preventing him from bringing the knife to bear or landing a punch to his gut. He lowered his head, exposing his horns and hairless cranium and drove his head upward into the man's face. The scream of pain and the sound of breaking cartilage filled Nox's ears, and he felt blood on his crown. The vibroknife dropped from the man's grasp and Nox pulled his screaming foe around to place him in between himself and the blaster-wielding criminal. The first rounds from the weapon's muzzle sank into the victim's chest, causing him to stiffen with paralysis. Nox shoved the man's failing body at his comrade, who tried to dodge but still ended up being toppled over by his friend and becoming trapped underneath the dead body.

The first attacker was now getting to his feet and hurled a bottle at the back of Nox's head. The Sith dodged it instinctually and it sailed past him to hit a large Wookie in the side of the head. Caught with his arm still extended, the gangster's look of rage became one of terror as the hulking, hairy giant barreled past Nox to tear his perceived foe limb from limb. The Nikto who had attacked first finished getting to his feet and attacked Nox with a roar, but the Dark Lord blocked his furious blows one by one before landing several strikes with his fists and elbows and driving the bulky criminal right into the Wookie's Meerian friend who was rushing to help out his buddy. Believing the Nikto to have attacked him, the scrappy little humanoid responded viciously, and it wasn't long before a poorly aimed chair beaned someone else in the head and the bar erupted into a sea of drunken violence and rage. Nobody noticed the tattooed Zabrak in a black cloak, expertly navigating the melee, slip out the door and disappear into the shadows as the sirens of the approaching Coruscant Security forces pierced the eternal night of the lower levels.

* * *

One standard hour later, Nox was slinking through the noisy darkness of the Works. All around him the hiss and hum of machinery and cries of local predators wafted through the near complete blackness of Coruscant's most infamous industrial sector. The Works seemed largely deserted, which wasn't surprising considering its condition and the time of day. According to Nox's chrono, it was the middle of the graveyard shift for what few industries still ran here, and with the place's reputation for being the hideout of smugglers, squatters, death stick runners, gangsters, and undocumented refugees, it wasn't all that shocking that he hadn't seen or encountered any other sentients.

Cloaked in the Dark Side, its embrace shrouding his existence from any being or animal who might otherwise see or sense him, Nox wound his way through the dark passages and narrow streets. After half an hour of travel he reached a taxi terminal guarded only by a obsolete protocol droid which was ludicrously easy to slice so that it could activate one of three ancient speeder taxis. Wiping the droid's memory of the encounter, Nox hopped in the taxi, switched it to manual, and took off into the cityscape, heading in the direction of the Jedi Temple ruins.

Reaching the Temple, it was only a few minutes of stealthy infiltration later when he stepped off of the turbolift and into the Temple's main chamber, which branched off into many different hallways and sections. The destruction he saw there was invigorating. The roof was now a large, gaping hole, and the center of the massive, circular space was completely occupied by a small mountain of rubble and refuse which reached almost to where the ceiling had been. The edges, too, were also covered in small, rolling hills of rubble and debris. Looking around, Nox could see small groups of ragged Imperial soldiers sitting around trash fires. The thought of Imperial troops using the former sanctuary and holy place of the Jedi as a squatting ground pleased him immensely. This was what the Jedi Order deserved, to have its holy place not only sacked, defiled, and destroyed, but denigrated. This was the revenge of the Sith against the Jedi, as they had defiled Korriban, so had the Sith defiled Coruscant. As the Jedi had denigrated the Sith, so had the Sith denigrated the Jedi. "There is no justice," Nox mused "there is only revenge."

Looking around at the sheer amount of work that would be required to recover the part, Nox decided it was time to give these soldiers a purpose again. He dropped his Force cloak and waited for the soldiers to notice him. When they did, Nox was surprised to see them reach for their blasters. The scattered camps of troopers suddenly became a mob, about fifty strong, that rushed within firing range of him and then stopped, all aiming their old and worn-out blaster rifles at him. It was then Nox remembered that these men and women had been out of contact with the Empire since the beginning of the Cold War, they were Imperials in a time when aliens were only slaves in the Empire. Cursing himself for forgetting such a troublesome detail, Nox decided he wouldn't accept ignorance as an excuse for disobedience. Unfortunately, bringing them into line would require him to use the Force, and that in turn meant risking revealing his presence to the Jedi, which could compromise the entire mission. But he had no choice now.

Without moving a finger, Nox summoned his power and reached out to touch their minds. "I am Darth Nox of the Dark Council." He declared in a loud voice. "You will now serve me and obey my every command!" He felt their collective consciousness weaken and heard the whispers of confusion and disbelief that surged through the crowd. The strain of trying to dominate so many minds at the same time was already beginning to give him an intense headache, but he simply grimaced and used the pain to strengthen his resolve. "I am Darth Nox of the Dark Council!" He said again, louder this time. "You now serve me!"

"You are not one of the Council!" An angry voice came from above and behind him. He turned and looked up to see a young, female Sith warrior standing atop the mountain of trash and rubble in the center of the massive room. She was dressed in the gray armor of a Sith Raider, and her red locks looked as wild as her fierce green eyes. The light pouring in from the large opening above her made her hair seem to shine like fire, and Nox couldn't help but admit she was remarkably beautiful. Were circumstances different, this woman would be an excellent candidate for one of his many casual affairs. She slid down the mountain of trash on her feet, approaching Nox with an arrogance and confidence born of ignorance once she reached the bottom. "You are no Sith!" She hissed, jabbing her finger in his face, "let alone one of the Dark Council. The Empire would never fall so far as to allow aliens to rule!"

Nox let her hateful, prideful words seep into his bones, releasing the oozing black tide of his hatred from its prison deep within him. His lust for her made a feeling of betrayal well up from deep inside him, and his outrage and emotional pain at being rejected so completely only amplified his anger. "You are nothing!" the Sith screeched, oblivious to the conspiratory whispers of the Force that were seeping into her mind. "You are a lowly alien Kath mutt who is not worthy to-" Her words were cut off as she suddenly clutched her head in both hands, bending fully over and unleashing a demonic howl of pain. In seconds she was rolling on the ground, clutching her head and screaming from the overload of her brain's pain receptors. Nox simply watched, his wrath burning in his eyes as the woman was seized by violent spasms that twisted her body in unnatural formations. After a few seconds of torment, and with a final scream, the woman's eyes rolled back in her head and her limp body fell still.

Nox slowly turned to the assembled troopers, savoring the terror, horror, and submission his demonstration had inspired. All the troopers had ceased to aim their rifles at him, and many had let them fall to their sides. This time when he spoke, Nox kept his voice only just loud enough for the troopers to hear; "I say again, I am Darth Nox of the Dark Council. You will all serve me." There was a brief moment where no sound was made and no one moved, then one trooper on the front line dropped to his knees, placed his rifle on the ground in front of him and bowed. One by one, the others began to follow suit, and soon the whole legion was bowing prostrate before the Dark Lord.

* * *

Valkra's eyes snapped open, and he saw Kira and Scourge, both in similar meditative postures, doing the same. "You felt it too?" Kira asked, her voice laced with hope and eagerness.

"Yes." Valkra said, struggling to keep his fear in check. "Scourge is right, it isn't the Emperor. But whatever this dark presence is...it's just as dangerous."

"Did you sense where it was?" Kira asked. "For a moment I thought I had it but then it slipped away, like sand through my fingers."

"No." The disappointment in Valkra's voice was mirrored by the expression on Kira's face.

"I know where it is." The two Jedi turned to regard Scourge, who was sitting there with a smug look sitting comfortably on his crimson features. Despite his decision to stay with them after the Emperor's death, Valkra realized, Lord Scourge was still a Sith through and through.

"Where is it?" Kira demanded. "We have to stop whatever is happening, now!" Scourge turned to look directly into Valkra's eyes.

"He's in the Jedi Temple."

"He?" Kira practically squeaked. "Who is he?"

The red-skinned giant shook his head. "I don't know."

Valkra shot to his feet, startling the others. "We need to move. Kira, order a shuttle to take us directly to the Temple. Whatever is going on in there, we're going to stop it."

* * *

Darth Nox walked casually around the large chamber, supervising the impromptu project that was occurring. He'd distributed CZX-793 detectors among the highest-ranking officers of the remaining troops, and sent them to various locations throughout the Temple to search for the HK AI regulator, which he believed had been left here hundreds of years ago by Revan, after the Jedi Master had left the Republic and the Jedi to seek out the hidden Empire. The detectors would scan for working droid parts, then filter out the ones that were made by Czerka via a unique signal that all pieces of Czerka technology gave off. Of course, the detectors themselves could only scan within a limited area, which would have made Nox's search long and arduous had he been forced to do it by himself as he had expected to do. His good fortune at finding the Temple occupied by Imperial forces that he could commandeer, albeit with some resistance, was only one of many accumulating examples of his ascension being a matter of destiny.

Suddenly, the temporary, covert channel he had set up for the project buzzed and the voice of the lieutenant he had dispatched to the Archives came into his ear. "My lord, we've discovered something, we think you'll want to see it for yourself."

Nox wasted no time responding. "I'm on my way, don't do anything more until I get there, understood?"

"Yes, my lord." and the com cut out.

Despite having only seen the blueprints for the Jedi Temple a few times, Nox managed to find his way to the Archives with little issue. Upon entering, the lieutenant approached him and bowed respectfully, although Nox sensed it was more fearful respect than anything else. "My lord, we believe we've found the object you're looking for. It matches the description and the detectors confirm that is Czerka."

"Whether or not it is the exact item I need remains to be seen lieutenant. Take me to it."

"This way." The man said, turning and walking through the ruins of what had once been the galaxy's greatest library. Nox followed him, absorbing the pain and suffering of those who had died here. The sorrow and anguish felt by those few who had seen the state of the Archives since the Temple's demolition at the hands of Darth Malgus all those decades ago, before Nox was even born. They passed several places where other parts had been excavated by the team, and Nox was pleased to see they had correctly identified the parts as being not what he was looking for.

The lieutenant stopped when they arrived at a hole that had been dug with plasma torches in a huge mess of melted metal that had once been a storage unit. There, sitting in a warped compartment was a Czerka Corp. AI regulator, but not of the HK line, rather of the CX line. Nox whirled on the lieutenant, "you brought me here for this?" He questioned, motioning to the device. "Lieutenant, notice the lack of a C4V integrator chip, this is definitely not the specific regulator I require."

"Perhaps, my lord, if you were to tell us precisely what you-" the man started to say before Nox cut him off.

"Irrelevant. Even if I told you what I am seeking that information would not assist you in identifying it. I am not here to satiate your curiosity, lieutenant. I am here to accomplish my will, and you are here to assist me in that endeavor, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, my lord." The lieutenant bowed again, and even through his Force shroud Nox could perceive that the man was equally fearful and hateful of him. Turning, Nox left the archives, pleased to hear the men return to work once his departure signaled that the meeting was over.

As he was leaving the vicinity of the Archives, the channel opened once more and the voice of the leader of Team Surek addressed him; "Lord Nox, we've discovered something. It appears to be an AI regulator just like you described." Nox exercised skepticism this time and decided to determine the find's worth before heading to the team's location.

"Does it have a C4V integrator chip?"

"Apologies my lord, I don't know what that looks like." Nox sighed inwardly.

"It's a black and yellow chip with C4V engraved on the primer node."

"Let's see..." Nox waited with increasing impatience as the captain searched the device. "Ah! Found it! Yes, my lord it does have the C4V chip."

"Excellent." Nox said, his own hopes beginning to rise. "And what about the trimestal fillidrator?"

"That's that thing combat droids have in all their chips right?" The captain asked. "I saw the insides of a few droids during my academy training so I think I have a good idea what it looks like."

"Yes that's correct." Nox affirmed.

"Okay, yeah it's got a fillidrator." The captain said after a minute. Nox's face stretched in a smile of malicious glee. He had found it, all this trouble, all this effort, and he had succeeded. He had walked into the bowls of the enemy and would soon emerge with the treasure he had sought. He began to run, starting with a light jog and quickly picking up speed until he was bolting through the ruined halls at a full run. The Force replenished his strength and endurance, allowing him to maintain his pace with the same ease as if he were walking.

His comm buzzed and the channel opened, Nox's concern grew when he heard blaster fire over the comm. "Who is this, what's happening?"

"Jedi, my lord!" Came the voice of the Team Gresh leader. "We're holding the scum off as long as we can but they have a Sith with them, a pureblood." The thought gave Nox mental pause. Pureblood Sith were often some of the most racist, hateful, spiteful beings Nox had ever met. It made no sense that a Pureblood would be working with the Jedi, what with the latter's unfailing support of the Republic and its multicultural views. Then Nox remembered the rumors he had heard, the whispers that said Galadius's ascension to the position of Emperor's Wrath was due, not to the death of his predecessor, but rather his defection. The legends of a 300 year-old Pureblood Sith lord who served as Vitiate's personal executioner came back to him. So to, did how those "legends" had become seemingly much more real after Nox's ascension to the Dark Council with all the evidence beginning to stack in favor of the seemingly wild tale.

Kark, he swore, closing the channel. This situation was becoming extremely volatile now that the Jedi were onto him. It was likely they couldn't sense precisely where he was or they might have opted to adopt an infiltration strategy rather than a head-on assault, so as long as he kept his shroud up and kept moving, he could retrieve the HK part and escape the Jedi's clutches. He wasn't looking forward to facing Jedi without a lightsaber. Briefly, he regretted leaving his weapon behind, despite his Force talents and his great power in the Force, without it he always felt a little vulnerable. Still, if it came down to it he had no doubt he could defeat the Jedi without the aid of a weapon. After all, the Force was the ultimate weapon, and his mastery of it far surpassed that of any Jedi.

As he passed through the corridors towards the section of the Temple where Team Surek was assigned, his comm chimed again and the channel opened. This time the voice was different than the Team Gresh commander.

"Darth Nox, Team Brakk reporting in, a Jedi strike force has broken through Teams Gresh and Asallik and are assaulting our position. It appears they are being aided by a Sith."

"I'm aware of the threat, lieutenant." Nox replied with deceptive calm. "Continue your attempts to delay the Jedi."

"Understood, my lord." The channel closed. Reaching the chamber where Team Surek was waiting, the captain handed the regulator to Nox, who quickly appraised it before placing in a pouch on his belt.

"Captain, do you know of any Imperial assets nearby who are in possession of a suitable getaway craft?" The captain exchanged glances with the female trooper on his left before responding.

"We have someone in mind, although they won't be able to get you off-planet."

"Obviously." Nox agreed. "All I need to do is get out of here in a timely and direct manner."

"Is there something you're not telling us my lord?" The captain asked in as respectful of a tone he could muster.

"We're under attack captain, that is why you and your team are to accompany me to the main chamber, where my extraction will occur. I also want you to comm every team and order them to assemble themselves at all the entrances to the main chamber and impede the Jedi by any means necessary."

"Right away Darth Nox." The captain said obediently as he took point in the protective formation forming around the Zabrak, and they began to hurriedly march towards the Temple's center. A few comm calls and wrong turn later, they were once more in the central chamber. Nox quickly dispatched the team to cover one of the exits, and when the female trooper the captain had exchanged glances with stayed, he looked at her questioningly.

"The contact is mine, my lord." She said deferentially. "I'm here just to make sure he takes you." Nox nodded his permission and the two began to climb the mountain in the room's center.

* * *

Valkra, Kira, and Scourge hewed their way through the mobs of Imperial soldiers blocking their progress to the central chamber, where Scourge claimed the dark signature was emanating from. The presence of so many Imperial Troops defending all entrances to the place was a dead giveaway, but then again, secrecy might well be the last thing on their quarry's mind at the moment.

They finally reached the last squadron of defenders, and after slaughtering them to a man, they rushed through the arched entranceway. Looking up, they saw a mountain of rubble and debris from the Sacking that occupied the center of the circular chamber. Standing atop the mountain's peak, was a figure in a dark cloak and a female trooper who appeared to simply be waiting for them. As soon as she saw them, the woman began to speak into her helmet comm. The dark robed figure however, simply lifted his hood, revealing his demonic visage. A hard, cruel face that was a brighter, more lustrous red than even Scourge's skin tone. The crimson countenance was marked by jagged, primal designs tattooed in black. The body markings extended over his hairless scalp and interwove themselves around and between the many horns that crowned his head.

Valkra recognized him immediately as a Dathomirian Nightbrother, a member of the society that served as a dark reflection for Valkra's own people. Even before the Sith, for surely that's what he was, removed his long, black cloak and let it fall to the jagged "ground" behind him, exposing his extensively and gothically tattooed chest and arms, Valkra knew his tattoos extended over his entire body. The Sith's facial markings and chest markings gave him the appearance of a supernatural predator, a monstrosity whose only goal was to prey on all who crossed its path, subverting nature and the Force.

He was just about to launch himself in a leap for the mountaintop when the Sith spread his naked arms wide and immediately ascended off the ground, hovering in mid-air, his yellow eyes fixed on them, burning with hatred and malice. Valkra barely had time to register the lightning bolts spiraling down his foes arms, mimicking the tattoos that were engraved upon the skin of the appendages, before he was suddenly overwhelmed by pain. His skin felt as if it were on fire, his nerves wrenched and yanked themselves about in a dance of agony. Only by calling on the Force to protect and empower him did Valkra manage to regain some control over his body. His instincts took over and he beat as hasty a retreat as he could. He realized that the Sith had summoned a maelstrom of lightning to envelop them in a storm of energy that would have fried any unprotected, Force-blind being, perhaps even lesser Jedi or Sith. When he finally stumbled out of the storm's radius he noticed with relief that Kira had managed to escape the vortex as well. Looking back into the electrical tumult, he saw Lord Scourge standing in its center, glowing with the sheer power of the Dark Side. Valkra could feel his ally's pain, and he hoped Scourge was strong enough to withstand the unfathomable amount of power their enemy was pouring out on him. Instead of retreating, as the two Jedi had, Scourge's small, halted steps were taking him through the storm, towards the enemy.

Valkra looked up towards the mountaintop to see the Sith still levitating through the sheer exertion of power, eyes ablaze with the fires of hatred. He can't keep it up for long, Valkra reasoned, once he stops we can charge him and end this quickly. His hopes were soon dashed by a roar that drowned out even the loud crackling of the lightning storm. From all the chamber's other entrances, Imperial troops surged in, unleashing a united battle cry as they charged the group's position. The Sith ceased channeling the storm, but it was quickly replaced by a hail of blaster bolts that assailed the two Jedi and their weakened Sith companion. It was only Kira's quick reflexes that saved Scourge's life, as she leaped out in front of him and projected a Force shield until the Sith could summon his power to rejuvenate his scorched flesh and replenish his stamina. With the sheer amount of energy being launched against her barrier, Kira's will quickly began to evaporate. In response, Valkra leaped in front of her and began deflecting the bolts that came close to her. Scourge, now recovered, unleashed a battle cry of his own and leaped into the center of a the nearest squad of troopers. He began to carve them into pieces, deflecting their bolts when he could and simply absorbing them with the Force when he couldn't. More than once Valkra saw him absorb blaster bolts with only his gloved hand and the Force, before executing a swing with his lightsaber that ended his assailant's life.

When Kira had recovered her own strength, Valkra followed Scourge's lead and catapulted himself into the nearest group of troopers. Kira followed suit, and they made quick work of the soldiers, protecting each other and assisting with kills. Despite the overwhelming odds against them, they soon began to gain the upper hand. Suddenly, a loud whine came over the noise of battle, and Valkra once more looked up to the mountain's peak. He saw a large speedercar descend through the hole in the roof, and he realized what was happening. The Sith was going to escape! "No!" He yelled, tossing his lightsaber in an arc meant to slice into the speedercar's left stabilizer and send it tumbling down the mountain. Valkra saw the Sith, who had donned his black cloak once again, extend a hand towards the flying blue disk. Valkra felt a surge of horror as his telekinetic grasp on his own weapon weakened, but he gritted his teeth and focused solely on keeping a firm mental grip on the projectile. Then Valkra felt fear and doubt creep into his mind, he tried to quickly reassert control over his emotions but the distraction was enough. His lightsaber slipped from his mental grasp and he watched it fly harmlessly into the Sith's waiting hand. His disappointment and horror at the loss was immediately put in check however, when the Sith reacted to the bare skin of his palm touching the blade's hilt as if it had burned him, dropping the weapon with a hiss of pain. Seizing his opportunity, Valkra managed to seize the lightsaber in his mind's grip once more, and before the Sith could react, drew it back to his own waiting hand.

Seeing him unarmed the nearby troopers focused their fire on him, believing him to be helpless. Kira came to his aid, deflecting every bolt back to its source with a fervor only a lover could possess. Extending his hand, Valkra snatched his lightsaber out of the air and glanced up at the mountain's peak, ready to launch another throw. His heart filled with fear, disappointment, and frustration when he saw the tail end of the speedercar vanish out of the jagged oculus in the ceiling.

* * *

Darth Nox slipped covertly through the bustling crowds filling the streets of Coruscant. In a sudden break from the flow of the pedestrian traffic, he slithered out of the crowds and entered a rather dismal-looking alleyway. He quickly approached a run-down holoterminal embedded in the wall and tapped a few buttons, glancing around furtively as it flickered to life. When the fuzzy, blue-tinged image of the already blue-skinned Twi'lek: Delriss Evik appeared, Nox wasted no time addressing it. "Change of plans, we need to move the pickup."

"Oh?" The attractive young woman said, a note of expectant curiosity creeping into her voice.

"I've rewired my chrono to emit a homing signal exclusive to the frequency I used when I first contacted you, do you remember?"

The young Twi'lek nodded before answering "I do."

"Good." Came Nox's hurried reply. "Monitor the frequency, locate my homing signal, and pick me up - hot."

"This is an awfully big risk," the captain admonished, "it's going to have an impact on the price. Landing this beauty just anywhere on Coruscant is highly illegal you know."

"Of course," Nox admitted "I would not have hired you if I did not have the credits to compensate you for all possible inconveniences, rest assured that your risk will be balanced."

"I should hope so." The captain sighed, her lekku twitching with the stress and uncertainty of the whole situation. Sensing something, Nox's eyes darted towards the alley's entrance and the street beyond. "Something wrong?" His lovely contact asked.

"I have to go." He said, before reaching out to shut the terminal off before she could reply. Turning on his heel, he moved swiftly down the alley, away from the street, just as a speeder pulled up. The beings that got out of it were a rather motley crew; there was a large Iridonian Zabrak, who was closely accompanied by a smaller, red-haired human female with a figure most models would be jealous of. Backing them up, and standing in sharp contrast, was a large and bald Sith Pureblood dressed in a set of black armor complete with a cape, his head being the only exposed part of his body.

* * *

Spying the black-cloaked figure vanishing into the alley's depths, Kira pointed and shouted "There!"

"You, stop!" The voice of the large Zabrak boomed, causing many passersby to stop and stare at the trio as they took off at a full run into the alley, vanishing into the fog of Galactic City's backstreets.

* * *

Nox raced through alleys and passageways, the Dark Side giving him speed and sight. He leaped over low walls and dumpster crates, ducked under low-hanging pipes and fire escape platforms. He weaved through the complex maze of narrow, shadowy avenues like a native, the Force blazing his trail. He was running towards the Flats, where he was sure he could outrun the Jedi. He doubted any of them had the same mastery of Force Speed that he had. The only problem was that in order to access the Flats, he had to move up one level.

Spying a building tall enough to suit his purpose, an abandoned warehouse that disappeared into the ceiling, Nox used a Force push to blow one of the doors off its hinges and enter the building. He was disappointed to find that the only way onto the Flats above him was a rectangular window stretching around the warehouse's top. Sensing his pursuers approaching, he turned to face the gaping doorway. The large Iridonian entered first, followed by the young woman and the bald Sith. All three activated their lightsabers in sequential order.

"Surrender Sith!" The tall Zabrak called out. "We have you cornered."

"Don't try anything stupid." The young female human chimed in, her eyes blazing with anger. There is more than a hint of the Dark Side in that one, Nox thought to himself, smiling. He raised his hands above his head in surrender...then leaned forward, gesturing as he lashed out with the Force. The blast of Force power sent his opponents flying into the wall behind them. As they dropped to the floor and scrambled to their feet, Nox unleashed a storm of wind and lightning from his fingertips that caught the Pureblood off guard and swept him off his feet and into the air. The roiling tornado of unnatural current kept the Sith Lord unable to even call upon the Force as he tumbled and bounced around within the vortex. Valkra was just about to hurl his blue lightsaber at Nox when he felt an oppressive darkness sweep over him. His mind filled with doubt, fear, and despair, and it was only through calling on the Light Side of the Force that he was able to regain his focus. But the dark persisted, roiling on the edges of his consciousness like a sea of murky shadows, ready to swallow him the moment the light inside him flickered or faltered. Beside him, he could see Kira was having a much harder time dealing with it. Her ether body was showing signs of corruption, and Valkra could sense her giving in to her anger and fear. Stretching out with his will, he used the Force bond between them to project calm and focus into her mind. He felt her emotion's grip on her begin to fade and he extended his own Light Side aura around her, sheltering her from the overwhelming gloom.

Too fast to follow, the dark-cloaked Zabrak moved between them and the door, cutting off any escape and gesturing with an outstretched hand as the two Jedi turned to face him. A burst of dark energy appeared in his extended palm, and Valkra suddenly felt sick, like the Dark Side had taken root in the pit of his stomach. He could feel his strength slowly being sapped like water from a bucket with a miniscule crack in it. The affliction was the least of his problems however, as he turned around to face the enemy, he was struck head on with a thunderous blast of power that caused him to stagger. Immediately following the blast was a wave of pure electricity that slammed into him and Kira, temporarily paralyzing them.

The shock to Kira's Force defenses from the paralysis left her vulnerable to the subsequent burst of lightning unleashed by Nox that nearly electrocuted her. She cried out as the deadly current struck her square in the abdomen and surged through her nervous system, causing her to spasm and convulse. Valkra, recovered from the temporary paralysis, charged Nox with a battlecry. The Sith quickly erected a Force Barrier that met Valkra's lightsaber with a bursting hiss, and although the Jedi slammed his blade on the barrier repeatedly, it bounced off each time. From behind the barrier, Nox raised his fist and a bolt of lightning, seeming to come from thin air, descended on the Jedi, smiting him like the fist of a god. Through the power of the Force, Valkra absorbed the lightning strike and continued to hack away at the barrier, only to be blown back by a blast of Force power. Nox followed the blast with a storm of lightning that enveloped Valkra in its sinister grip, and it was all the Jedi Master could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other, slowly making his way towards the dark figure.

Kira, having recovered from the assault on her nerves, attacked Nox ferociously, her green lightsaber resounding harmlessly off of Nox's erected Force Barrier. Finally letting the storm of lightning subside, Nox whirled on her, lifting her off her feet with the Force and sending her flying across the room into a pile of crates in the far corner. Nox turned just in time to see Valkra once more slam his blade into the Force Barrier protecting him, but he didn't flinch. Instead he stretched out his hand and Valkra felt the knot in the pit of his stomach again. The Dark Side seeded itself inside him, afflicting him with dark and subtle emotions. He almost didn't realize what was happening until the same ring of lightning-charged dark power slammed into him with the force of a speeder. The Force was the only thing that kept him from ending up sprawled on the floor. The familiar wave of lightning that followed once more paralyzed him, despite his best efforts to resist.

Nox stretched out his hand, waving his fingers in an eerie pattern and Valkra felt the dark affliction inside him sprout into a sinister terror that crept up his spine and into his brain. Fear cemented the paralysis already affecting him, rooting his feet to the ground. Then Nox clenched his outstretched hand in a fist, moving it towards him at the same time as if he were pulling something, and a nova of dark power burst in the Sith's clenched hand. Valkra felt the Dark Side explode around him, and he saw and felt his very life force being drawn out of him and into the dark star shining in Nox's fist. The Dark Lord absorbed it, and the orb of power in his hand faded as he consumed the life energy he had stolen. Etching a series of arcane symbols into the air with his fingers, Nox unleashed the Dark Side on Valkra again, this time piercing the Jedi's now weakened Force defenses to tap his life force directly. Valkra felt horror dawn on him as his very life was sapped from his body, drawn through the Force into Nox by the power of the Dark Side.

Calling on the Light Side, Valkra brought his roiling emotions back under control and charged Nox once more, but the Force attacks the Sith had unleashed upon him had all taken their toll, and the Dark Lord was all the stronger for it. His Force barrier, which had been starting to give way and bend beneath lightsaber blows, was now as rigid and impenetrable as it had been at the start of the fight, and Nox responded to the attack with a maelstrom of lightning that wrapped Valkra in its electric tendrils, even as he called on the Light Side to lend him focus and rejuvenate him under the supercharged assault. Valkra could feel the Sith's influence beginning to seep into his mind, the terrifying darkness eating away at his mental and Force defenses. What kind of power is this? Valkra wondered. The power to crush your foes with your very presence, to cow them without lifting a finger...the power of the Dark Side is truly horrifying. He didn't have time to ponder it any further, because the storm of lightning vanished to be replaced by a concussive blast that sent him flying. He managed to hit the ground in a roll and leaped to his feet just as Kira, having regained consciousness after landing in a pile of heavy crates when Nox tossed her, charged across the room with lightsaber in hand. Nearby, the storm Nox had unleashed on Lord Scourge had faded. Scourge, having recovered from the serious disorientation of spending a full minute in a swirling vortex of wind being zapped by lightning, had also drawn his blade and was bearing down on the other Sith with an incredible fury. The Dark Lord seemed to pause, taking in the situation for a moment, then in a blur of motion, he acted.

Running up the wall behind him on an angle, he leaped off the wall to a walkway hanging from the ceiling. He leaped an impossible distance from the walkway to grab onto a pipe halfway across the room, using his momentum to swing from the pipe directly towards the thin strip of window rimming the top of the building.

"No!" Valkra cried, feeling a terrifying sense of déjà vu when he threw his lightsaber in an attempt to slice the Sith in half before he could escape. But it was too late, Nox crashed through the window and Valkra's blade sailed out after him, spinning harmlessly into the air before returning through the hole to its owner's waiting hand. "C'mon!" Valkra shouted, already heading towards the door, "We've got to catch him!"

* * *

Nox tore across the Flats with amazing speed. The relatively level plain of metal and duracrete was perfect for exercising his full command over the power of Force speed. With no real obstacles to avoid, he could focus entirely on increasing his velocity. The whine of a speeder soon attracted his attention however. This was restricted airspace, so there could only be one answer to who was driving the vehicle. A glance to his right confirmed his suspicions, approaching on a diagonal was a speedercar piloted by the bald Sith with the two Jedi seated beside him. With a playful smile, Nox decided it was time for a true test of his abilities. Turning his attention back to the wide open expanse in front of him, he dug down deep. He dredged up every memory from his past that caused him fear, memories of beatings, escape attempts, of hiding, of being pursued by his enslavers. One memory suddenly bubbled to the surface. He was being taken from his mother's arms, her embrace replaced by the cold and calloused hands of the Sith who had first bought him. He cried and cried, desperately reaching, grasping for his mother, but she simply stood there, unfeeling, uncaring, a silent statue watching him be taken as the Sith placed the young Teridax on his shoulder and carried the mewling infant towards the small shuttle that would take them away from Dathomir. Teridax cried louder, hoping his mother would rush forward, taking him back into her arms. That she would comfort him with her soft touch and silky voice, that she would assure him that she would never part with him...but she never did. She stood there as the boarding ramp closed behind them, and the ships engines began to roar. And Teridax, still crying, was carried up into the heavens, to forever dwell in the void between the stars.

A powerful wave of emotion welled up in him, pain, sorrow, rage, hatred, fear, and he let it come, let it consume him. He felt the Dark Side surround him, and his feet seemed to leave the ground. The world around him began to stretch and distort, as if he was a ship about to enter hyperspace. He no longer felt the resistance of the wind holding him back, and he ran. The plains of the Flats stretched out before him, and the whine of the Jedi's speeder seemed to be swallowed up by the vacuum he found himself in, or perhaps he had simply outran it. The world seemed completely silent, as if he had left sound itself far behind him. His entire body was vibrating with an intense energy that made him feel like he was on the edge of shattering the veil of reality and breaking through into a new world.

In eerie silence, he looked up to see the _Rider_ lowering itself down out of the sky, the boarding ramp extended. Holding on to one of the ramp's pneumatic extension bars was Delriss, her hand outstretched and her eyes wide with shock and fear, her mouth forming words that were swallowed up the vacuum surrounding him. After a moment of internal confusion, Nox came back to himself and realized she was trying to help him get on board. Moving towards the Twi'lek's outstretched hand, he began to perceive sounds, the deafening silence becoming slowly filled by a muffled roar that he realized was the _Rider's_ engines. Feeling a light breeze on his cheek, he realized with some concern that the vacuum he had created in order to achieve such an incredible speed was beginning to disappear. In moments his speed would begin to decrease, possibly allowing the Jedi to catch up to them.

He moved closer to the boarding ramp and reached out to grasp the woman's surprisingly strong arm, and she did the same for him, with a nod from her indicating she was ready, he prepared himself and pushed off, using the Force to lift himself several feet off the ground as Delriss pulled him onto the ramp. They moved up into the ship with all haste as the ramp closed behind them.

Nox leaned over, supporting himself with his hands on his knees, breathing hard from the fatigue that was sweeping over his body. He looked up to see Delriss staring at him in naked wonder and fear.

"I realize you have many questions, captain." Nox said, his breaths still coming hard and ragged, forcing him to stop to take in a gulp of air. "But I'm afraid that the answers would be far more fatal than ignorance." After a moment of continuing to stare at him, the blue-skinned Twi'lek spoke;

"In my business, it's smart to not ask questions." She said, pausing to consider her next few words, "but do you realize how fast you were going?"

A small chuckle escaped Nox's lips. "No officer, enlighten me."

Unmoved by the jest, Delriss just continued to eye him with suspicion and fear as she spoke. "500 klicks per hour."

Nox blinked, not processing the implications of the statement. "Pardon?"

"500 klicks per hour." Delriss repeated, her tone indicating she had a hard time believing it herself.

Nox seemed to consider this for a long moment, when he finally spoke, he said;

"I trust that we are currently leaving the planet, and not heading to, say, Coruscant Penitentiary."

"I'm not that stupid." Delriss said shaking her head, her lekku swaying behind her. "We'll be out of atmo in a few minutes, hopefully your friends don't have a mind to follow us."

"Yes." Nox said distractedly, "Hopefully they don't." Delriss turned to go.

"Make yourself comfortable." She said over her shoulder. "It's a long flight back."

* * *

Snow crunched under Nox's boots as he made his way across the frozen lake towards the wreck of _The Fatality_. He was once more wearing his battle armor, and his skull-like helm protected his face from Belsavis's harsh polar winds. His saberstaff was once more clipped to his belt, and he never felt more relieved to have it there. Leaving it behind had been a mistake. He had believed that being discovered with it on him would attract to much attention and likely identify him as a Sith immediately, but in his fight with the two Jedi and their Sith companion, it had become clear to him that such a risk was worth it. As powerful as he was in the Force, a lack of a lightsaber still gave his enemies an advantage. That was why he had originally tried to steal the Iridonian Jedi's weapon. Unfortunately, the strong Light Side aura of the blade, a consequence of it being wielded by such a powerful Jedi for years, had reacted badly to the Dark Side energies lacing his body. The resulting effect had made it completely impractical to wield the lightsaber, as it drained Nox's own Force powers and was painful to touch. Normally he would simply turn the pain into anger, and anger into power, but the pain the Light Side energies inflicted wasn't that kind of suffering.

Approaching the open airlock, he cloaked himself in the Force and slipped into the ruined vessel. In the time he had been gone, the Dread Guard had routed his forces occupying the ship. An unfortunate turn of events and a clear demonstration that what the Imperial Guard captain had told Nox was true: The Dread Guard was a serious threat to Imperial control of Section X, and they would have to be dealt with. But right now Nox had bigger issues to contend with, the destruction of the Dread Guard would have to wait. Moving silently and unseen through the ship's various rooms and corridors, Nox quickly descended to the cargo bay level. Successfully avoiding detection by the scanner droids each patrol was accompanied by, he reached the cargo bay without incident.

Entering the room, he realized it was not as dark or cold as it had been on his first visit. The Dread Guard seemed to have not noticed or not cared that he had activated power to the cargo bay, and Nox noticed that the ice in the room was now mostly water. Moving to the control panel, he accessed the system again and input the command to lower the stasis unit in the center of the room to ground level. He heard the sounds of rusted and half-frozen machinery as the pod descended, and when it reached the bottom of its track and hissed open, Nox approached it with caution. There was no telling how the damaged assassin droid might react to its reactivation. He looked on with interest when he heard the whir of the droid's mechanical systems activating. The ice still glossing the HK unit's exterior melted away as defrosting systems registered the temperature and heated the droid's exterior.

"Warning: 7 critical systems damaged." The machine stated in a flat monotone that was nonetheless signatory of the HK-series droids. "Request: Repairs required immediately. Error. Error."

Nox approached the droid a little less warily, upon reaching it he quickly searched the unit and found it's deactivation switch, flipping it and watching the droid's eyes go dark again. Once he was certain the unit was inactive he set to work removing the parts that needed replacing. Once that was done, he installed the new parts, one at a time, taking care not to damage the rest of the droid while working. Once the new parts were installed, he set about finishing the repairs on the parts that were broken but didn't need to be replaced.

After nearly a half hour of crouching in front of the droid with his hands buried in its guts, Nox stepped back and examined his work. The droid looked much better, although it still needed a full on check-up from an expert mechanic and a thorough buffing. Satisfied with his efforts, Nox reactivated the droid and watched the light come into its cold, mechanical eyes with all the pride and eagerness of a parent watching their child being born. Suddenly, the droid stood up straight and drew its sniper rifle, aiming it around the room while its optics scanned for threats. Nox's hand flew to his lightsaber, his fingers curling around the hilt but he didn't draw it. He had just fixed the droid, the last thing he wanted to do was start a fight with it.

The droid's optical sensors fell on him and it relaxed its weapon into a ready position. "Declaration: Self-diagnostics complete, assassination protocols active, all systems go. Salutation: Greetings master! I am HK-51, I am armed, operational, and at your command." Nox resisted the urge to rub his hands together with glee.

"You belong to me now droid."

"Acknowledgement: I had assumed so master, seeing as you are the only organic here who is not frozen solid."

"Tell me HK," Nox said, a smile spreading behind his mask. "are you ready for an immediate massacre?"

"Assurance: I am _always_ ready for a massacre master!" The droid said, his tone rising with excitement.

"Good." Nox said, finally drawing his lightsaber and activating it. "Then let the slaughter begin."


	4. Chapter 4: Omega

**Chapter 4: Omega**

Xalek walked down the hall to his master's office. He had been instructed to meet Darth Nox in his meditation chamber, which was connected to the Dark Lord's office by a side door. He was looking forward to the experience as he had never been in his master's meditation chamber before. Hundreds of the most powerful Sith in the Empire had mediated in those chambers over the Empire's history, and there was no doubt that each had left their mark on the Force in that particular area. Xalek could almost taste the overwhelming Dark Side power he was about to experience. He believed it would be similar to landing on Korriban for the first time, and combined with his master's presence he was certain the experience would be rapturous. 

Entering the office, he turned to see that the door to the mediation chamber was open. He could sense the vestiges of the Dark Side energies contained within the chamber, as if they were the faint stirrings of the breeze before a storm. He entered through the door, finding that the energy currents grew more powerful with every step, before he even exited the hallway and entered the actual chamber, he found himself to be traversing through what felt like a hurricane in the Force. The Dark Side swirled around him, buffeting his spirit with its power. He felt like a leaf caught up in a tornado, but he steeled himself and hardened his resolve, reaching out and seizing the violent energies around him, bending them to his will, forcing the currents to change and warp themselves to his designs. They gave way easily. There was power here, yes, but it was diffuse and chaotic. Easily shaped and formed to the will of the strong. A Jedi entering these chambers would no doubt find themselves oppressed and ravaged by the intensity of the Dark Side here, not realizing that mastery of it would grant them safe passage. This, Xalek supposed, was far better security against Jedi infiltration or attack than any technology. 

He crossed the bridge separating the entrance from the platform on which his master knelt in deep meditation. A black aura of visible darkness surrounded the Dark Lord, and Xalek was certain he could see the soft purple glow of his master's eldritch powers emanating from behind the lenses of his helm. The familiar darkness that surrounded his master washed over him as he drew closer, and he felt his passions rise, taking his strength with them. His body felt alive with power as the darkness filled him from head to toe. He approached his lord and bowed to one knee. 

"My lord." At the sound Darth Nox appeared to awaken, although Xalek was certain his master had sensed his arrival, it was only now he seemed to take notice. His head raised from its bowed position of intense concentration, he stood to his feet and turned to regard his apprentice. The visible aura of darkness faded, but Xalek could still feel it in the Force. It surrounded them like an inky liquid that permeated the Kaleesh's body and soul. 

"Lord Xalek." Darth Nox spoke, his voice creating ripples in the Dark Side. "I hear your liberation of Detrimos went well." 

"Indeed master. You were wise to send me there. The Republic will not soon strike so close to us again." 

A sinister chuckle escaped the grill of Darth Nox's mask. 

"Indeed, although not for the reason you think apprentice." 

"Master?" 

"You are correct in assuming that the Republic will not strike so close to the heart of the Empire so soon, but it will not be because of your efforts on Detrimos." Xalek lowered his head, shame and confusion sweeping over him. 

"I am sorry I failed to live up to your expectations master." 

"On the contrary..." Xalek looked up, confused. Darth Nox continued: "You lived up to my expectations exactly, Lord Xalek." The Dark Lord reassured him. "You have proven your effectiveness in a leadership position on the battlefield, but Saresh is a warmonger, and she will not be cowed by failure, no matter how complete." 

"But the Senate will be, master." Xalek offered. 

"Yes," Nox conceded, "but Suresh is not without her supporters and puppets. She has spent almost a lifetime gathering connections and accumulating political favors in preparation for her chancellorship." His master paused, as if in thought. "I believe she does not intend to ever vacate the position." 

Interested, Xalek asked: "What does this mean for us master?" 

"It means that the Republic will continue to be a dangerous opponent. While the Jedi are always a problem, the Republic is not so dedicated to our destruction. With a zealot like Suresh in power, we face considerable opposition to our plans from inside and outside the Empire. This must not be." Xalek waited for his master to continue. "We must cripple them, apprentice." Darth Nox said, clenching his fist in front of him for emphasis. "We must leave them so broken and hurting that they will have no choice but to retreat and lick their wounds while the Empire keeps them on their toes, and we increase our power." 

"Through power I gain victory." Xalek recited. Darth Nox nodded his approval. 

"Many Sith, even some of the Lords of the Dark Council, erroneously perceive the Republic as a nuisance to be ignored until it becomes a threat. This is why the Empire is in the situation it is in today. The previous leaders of the Empire ignored the Republic and instead focused on each other. Thus we are severely weakened by infighting while the Republic stands united and focused on our complete annihilation." Xalek could hardly believe what he was hearing, his master was admitting the Empire was weak? Such words would have been thought treasonous by many, even Xalek himself, were the words not coming from his own master. Darth Nox must have sensed his turmoil because he addressed it immediately. 

"Do not fool yourself apprentice. Arrogance and honor are chains just as surely as mercy and compassion are." Xalek found the truth hard to accept. Honor a chain? His honor gave him strength, it made him superior to an honorless opponent and gave him hatred of such foes. "Fool!" His master growled at him, and too late, Xalek realized his master was reading his thoughts. He tried to throw a up a Force shield to protect him but his master ripped through it like it wasn't even there, his dark presence shifting in an instant, becoming oppressive and stifling. Xalek felt it creep into his mind and begin to crush his spirit. He fell flat on the ground under the immense weight of the Dark Side. 

"Master!" he cried. "Forgive me! Forgive my foolishness!" He felt the weight lift, and he rose to his hands and knees, bowing his head before the Dark Lord. "Master, I'm sorry, forgive my stubbornness." 

"You must learn to put aside your pride apprentice, when it does not serve you it will hinder you. Do you understand?" For a moment, Xalek considered lying to ward off more possible punishment, but he caught himself as he felt the darkness begin to roil once again. 

"No master, I do not." 

"Gooood... You are learning." Darth Nox said with satisfaction. "The Sith are superior. We are the driving force that shapes the universe to the will of sentient life. We will one day be hailed as the saviours and champions of all life everywhere." Xalek felt inspired by the assertion but confused at the apparently contrary nature of his master's philosophy. No doubt sensing his confusion, Nox went on. "But this is not an excuse for weakness!" He declared, anger creeping in to his tone. "It may be true that we are superior, but that does not mean that we will simply crush every single enemy we encounter without effort!" Beginning to realize his error, and feeling ashamed at this new revelation, Xalek remained silent while his master continued to berate him. 

"Many, many life forms and forces will resist us at every turn, for we bring change, and change is never welcome. We are not omnipotent. Even with the combined might of the Sith it is inevitable that our order will encounter enemies that will prove to be a match for us, or even..." his master paused, "stronger than us." Xalek felt like he was back at the academy on Korriban again. He felt lost and unsure of what was true and false. His master, the most powerful Sith he knew, was telling him one thing, while his warrior training and Sith training were both telling him another. 

"Listen well, apprentice." Darth Nox said, his voice becoming softer but maintaining an undertone of menace. "The Sith are not perfect yet, it is perfection we strive for. We are closer to it than our enemies it is true, but even so a Sith may find himself in a position where he is powerless when compared to his foes. If you have not experienced this yet, you will soon enough." Xalek remained silent and still. "But if you choose to cling to your pride in such circumstances, you will rob yourself of the chance to grow and become more powerful. If you are to become a truly powerful Sith you will eventually have to learn this lesson. If you do not learn it, you will die." The words were spoken with such finality and certainty that Xalek felt they were nothing less than prophecy. "It is a hard lesson to learn, but if you truly desire to break all the chains that bind you it is a necessary one." 

"The entire universe, even the Force itself, conspires with our enemies against us, apprentice. Unwilling to accept it's place under our heel, the Force raises armies and champions to test us, to see if we are truly worthy of being called its masters. Those who hold on to their weakness will be found unworthy, and be judged thusly." Nox paused, causing Xalek to look up at him in expectation. "Honor is for the weak, apprentice. If you desire true strength, true power, you must be willing to put aside your pride when it does not serve you. Remember, you cannot give form and shape to the future, you cannot control and direct your own destiny, if you cannot see the present for what it is. For how can you change what you cannot perceive?" 

Xalek nodded, his mind awhirl with thousands of questions and doubts. He'd been raised from birth to believe that honor was what bestowed him godhood upon his death, but now his master was forcing him to call all of his lifelong beliefs into question. Was honor truly a weakness? A chain that bound him as surely as mercy and compassion? How could his master be wrong? And yet, could thousands of years of Kaleesh tradition and belief also be wrong? 

"I sense your turmoil." Darth Nox said, placing a hand on the young warrior's shoulder. "You doubt your beliefs. Remember, change is never welcome, because it is always uncomfortable and unpleasant at the first." He released his grip on Xalek's shoulder. "I continue to have high hopes for you apprentice, I will allow you time to consider what I have told you. Mediate on these truths I have shown you and on the Dark Side. In time I believe you will come to understand." 

"And if I fail to understand?" Xalek asked, dreading the answer. Nox's voice hardened. 

"Then you will die, shackled by your own weakness." 

Xalek bowed his head in shame and submission. 

"But in the meantime," Nox said suddenly. "I have a task for you to complete, it might help to illustrate the heart of the matter." Xalek waited expectantly, and his master continued. "As of this moment, I am enacting Plan Omega. This plan will culminate in the utter devastation of the Jedi and the Republic, and you, Lord Xalek, will be the head of the spear that the Empire will drive through the heart of its enemies." 

"I am supremely honored, master." Xalek said with a mix of surprise and eagerness. 

"As well you should be." Nox affirmed before walking past Xalek towards the door leading to his office. Xalek followed behind, listening as his master continued to discuss the plan. "I have been planning this for some time, and I believe now is the perfect time to strike. Reports from the front indicate that the Republic advance has been halted and that their forces are doubling down in an effort to regain their momentum. In response, the Empire is committing more and more of its resources into full confrontation. The confusion and large-scale conflict will provide you with a smokescreen in which to accomplish your end of the preparations for the execution of the final phase." They passed through the doorway leading to the hall to Darth Nox's office as the Sith Lord continued to speak. "Plan Omega will require the laying of extensive political groundwork and the timely accumulation of various resources in order to ensure the full confidence of the Dark Council. In order to convince even the most stubborn of the Council, they must feel certain that the plan cannot fail." 

They entered into Nox's office and stopped in the center of the room when he turned to face Xalek. "This is where you come in, apprentice." 

"How can I serve you?" Xalek asked, his calm monotone disguising his mounting eagerness. 

"I am dispatching you on a top-secret recovery mission." Darth Nox said, and Xalek's heart sunk. 

"Master, would not my talents be better spent in other areas of the plan?" 

"Surprisingly, no." Nox said with cold certainty. "There is no one I can entrust this task to other than you, Lord Xalek." Xalek's shoulders drooped ever so slightly. 

"I can sense your disappointment apprentice," Nox assured the Kaleesh. "and I think you will find this mission to be far more challenging than it sounds. Trust that I would not send you on any mission that I did not feel would test you." 

"I trust you, master." Nox still sensed doubt and disappointment in his apprentice, but that was understandable considering what had happened between them in the past few minutes. Still, if his apprentice didn't get his mind in order then his mission would quickly become perilous, perhaps fatal. 

"The first artifact you will seek is on Deriada Minor." Nox said. "Speak to Commander Galen once you arrive, he will help set you on the trail. Go in strength, apprentice, and know that the Dark Side goes with you." 

* * *

Xalek descended the boarding ramp of his ship in Deriada Minor's principle spaceport. The planet occupied the tightest orbit of a red dwarf star, and thus was one of the more peculiar planets within the Empire. Locked in place, with one side always facing its star and the other always facing the void of space, extreme environmental conditions covered most of the planet. The dark side was perpetually frozen, as dead as an orphaned planet. The light side, however, wasn't too lucky either. A massive storm covered the area of the planet that directly faced the system's primary, creating a perpetual "storm zone" that was just as uninhabitable as the planet's dark side. However, between the storm and the frozen wastes lay a belt of habitable land and traversable ocean, and it was here that Imperial civilization flourished. As Xalek made his way towards the spaceport's main entrance, he wondered where on the planet his target could possibly be. The night side of the planet would be the obvious choice, but there was an impossible amount of ground to cover. The storm zone was the other likely option, but it too was nearly impossible to explore.

As he left the spaceport and entered the domed city of Kuris, he looked up in time to see the system's primary flare brightly, unleashing a wave of devastating radiation upon the world. The specialized dome surrounding the city immediately filtered out the radiation and tinted the light so as to keep the citizen's safe, but the sight was still a spectacle to behold. It lit up the city like a divine light, making the buildings shine and gleam proudly. Xalek felt like the gods were blessing the citizens of Kuris, then the light faded and he remembered that this would happen every few minutes. The only protection he could have would to be in a shielded vehicle, in the storm zone, or on the world's dark side. If he were caught out, there was no telling whether the Force could protect him from the radiation or from simply being cooked alive.

Moving through the streets towards Commander Galen's office, Xalek's path was obstructed by a human cyborg in red and silver armor. The man's eyes were mechanical optical sensors, and instead of hair his bald head was covered in vein-like implants that were no doubt implanted in his skull. The rest of his body appeared to be entirely encased in cybernetic armor. There was no telling whether his whole body was cybernetic, or if it was just the outside. Xalek felt disgusted by how thoroughly this man had defiled his own body. He hated him already.

"Well well." The man's voice was partially hollow, like a droid's. "Look who I found."

"You've found trouble if you don't get out of my way." Xalek said in a low, menacing tone. The man laughed, a horrible sound.

"That's funny coming from a soft-shell." The monstrosity fired back. He patted the lightsaber on his hip. "I'm superior to your kind in every way, especially in combat."

"Care to back up that boast?" Xalek challenged, his clawed hand drifting to the hilt of his own weapon. The man laughed again.

"I don't need to, not yet." With that, he brushed past Xalek, seeming to have decided that the conversation was over. Xalek's eyes narrowed as he watched the abomination leave. He never understood why any being who considered themselves a warrior would defile their body so utterly. The pride of a warrior was to use what the gods had given him to the greatest extent he was able. Pride. His master's words came back to him: "If you desire true strength, true power, you must be willing to put aside your pride when it does not serve you." Continuing to ponder his master's words, Xalek entered Commander Galen's office and found the commander bent over a holotable, apparently studying schematics of a large fortress with intense concentration. Xalek cleared his throat purposefully, and the startled commander turned to regard him.

"Oh, my lord!" The man bowed. "Forgive me, I was so wrapped up in my work I didn't notice you come in. We are honored to have one of your stature with us. How may I serve?"

"You can start by telling me everything you know about a powerful artifact called The Siphon."

"The Siphon eh?" The commander stroked his chin. "Come to think of it..." he turned and pressed a button on the holotable's control panel. The image changed to become a series of 3D renderings of ancient technology and stone carvings, all Rakatan in origin. "We conducted archeological expeditions several years ago, what we found indicated that there is a fortress of some sort in the center of the Storm Zone that was built by the Rakata." The image changed to display a massive, monolithic construction that was a hologram of the 2 and 3 dimensional images that had been depicted in the previous images of the recovered artifacts. The commander moved off to the side and Xalek approached, placing his hands on either side of the control panel for support while he leaned in to investigate the structure.

"Why have you not already gone there?"

"We did send a team but...they disappeared without a trace. Not even a final transmission to go on."

"What do you mean?"

"The storm is so violent you can't get a signal through anywhere inside it."

"What about in the eye?"

"Unfortunately, no. Not even there."

"Not even with a satellite directly above it?"

"The planet doesn't spin my lord like most do, this causes serious problems with satellite orbits and is why this world has no moon. I'm afraid we can't use satellites."

"So anyone that goes in there is on their own." Xalek murmured. "If they vanish no one will know what happened." He pushed off of the holotable and let his hands fall to his sides in mild frustration.

"It's still the best lead I have commander. I'm a lot closer to my goal than I was a few minutes ago."

"I'm sure that whatever this Siphon is, you'll at least find hints to its location in that fortress, if it is indeed there. Perhaps you'll even find the artifact itself."

"We can only hope, commander." Xalek turned and walked out of the office, determined to get the sturdiest, most well-shielded shuttle he could find.

* * *

Darth Nox focused, feeling the energy gathering in his hand as he drew it back beside his head. He could see the glow as the purple and white ball of Force energy formed in the palm of his hand. Then he leaned forward, thrusting his hand down as if the throw the ball onto the ground in front of him. The sphere of mottled light hit the ground and spread like a liquid, creating a pool of purple-white energy on the ground. Nox relinquished his Force sight and the pool disappeared, although he could still feel the disturbance in the Force that he had created. he walked to the other end of his lab and summoned the Dark Side again. His fingers and hand moved in an arcane motion and as they passed in front of his face, he felt the universe around him shift, as if it were sliding and slipping into a new formation. With a rising sense of triumph he looked around him to find that he was now standing in the exact same spot where the center of the pool of energy had been.

He'd done it. He had really done it! He'd been working on this spell for weeks, studying ancient texts, researching techniques, reading accounts of its use. And now he had done it. He had unlocked the secret of the Phase Walk! An ancient Dark Side spell created by the Rakata, the Phase Walk allowed the user to mark a location by creating a gateway in the Force. In this way, it was a weaker, simpler version of the legendary Force Storm that was said to be able to tear a hole in the spacetime continuum. Then, with a subsequent spell, the user could access that gateway and thus return to that spot at any time provided they were within a certain range of the gateway that was limited only by the user's power and ability to call upon the Force.

Satisfied with his incredible success, he left the lab and began the trek back to his speeder parked outside the Temple. Within minutes he was racing through the mists towards Kaas City. His mind was alive with plans and predictions. Since he had dispatched Xalek on his mission a few days ago, he had thrown himself fully into his study of the Phase Walk. His success today marked the end of weeks of research and practice, but only the beginning of his political machinations regarding his plans for the future. Plan Omega was simply one of these plans. It would help him to accomplish two things in one fell swoop: cripple the Republic and distract the Sith by giving them prey to hunt. Smelling blood in the water, the Empire would likely strive to drive the Republic into the abyss, and Nox would encourage this. He would fuel their bloodlust while he secretly shaped the galaxy in his image.

He slowed down as he entered the garage of his apartment suite. Landing among various other speeders from many different companies with many different designs, he shut the Nethian off and dismounted, walking straight past the Rakatan stasis chambers he had procured from Belsavis for his personal use.

Entering the main hallway, he checked the rooms of the lower levels and found that nobody was there. Even Andronikos and Khem seemed to be absent. On his way up the flight of stairs, he saw HK-51 standing rigidly at attention in Khem's usual guard spot.

"HK." The droid turned to regard him.

"Acknowledgement: Greetings master! Query: How may I serve?"

"You can start by telling me where Khem Val is."

"Query: Who is this Khem Val, master?"

"He's a red-skinned Dashade. You've likely seen him around here."

"Epiphany: Ahh! Yes! I wondered what such a dangerous creature was doing in your household, master. I took the liberty of placing it in one of the stasis chambers I found in the vehicular storage area until I could apprise you of the apparent infestation." Nox froze, his fists clenched, and his limbs trembled slightly in anger.

"You what, droid?"

"Query: Were my actions undesirable master? Do you wish me to release the creature?"

"That would be a start, yes." Nox's voice was low with anger and he was working his jaw in an effort to contain his emotions. The droid didn't know any better, it had made a rather accurate threat assessment regarding Khem, but Khem would no doubt see it as mistreatment and would subsequently desire to destroy the droid out of revenge, something Nox couldn't allow, which would cause strife between him and Khem. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but Nox still needed his Shadow Killer. The last thing he needed was for Khem to be more likely to attack him than the enemy. An assassination mission or two would have to be arranged to put the monster in a good mood again. "When you release the Dashade, be sure to activate your stealth generator and refrain from engaging. Merely protect my personal property and the infrastructure itself from his temper without the use of lethal force. Do you understand?"

"Confirmation: Yes master." The droid bowed its head. "Apology: I am sorry for causing you so much trouble. I shall remedy my error with all haste!" The droid turned and walked down the steps to release the no doubt angry Khem. Nox just hoped they didn't end up breaking anything, least of all each other.

Sighing, he turned and ascended the short flight of steps into his chambers. The door hissed open and the subtle Lightside presence of Ashara trickled out. Looking towards the windows, he noticed she was sitting cross-legged in the loveseat facing the massive, floor-to-ceiling panes. With a smile tugging at the corner of his lips behind his helm, he reached back and undid the metal headgear, placing it on a nearby featureless bust made specifically for the purpose. He approached, noting she didn't seem to sense his presence as she was so lost in her own thoughts.

With sudden inspiration, he approached the seat from behind and leaned over to plant a kiss on her upper cheek. She jerked her head around, startled, but the surprise quickly changed into affection as she saw him round the loveseat to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her padded, armored shoulders. "And how is the loveliest woman in the Empire doing today?" He asked, his passions becoming a tangible presence. Ashara giggled and a large smile spread across her soft, smooth features.

"Enjoying the company of the wisest man in the galaxy." She replied in like passion.

"Oh come now, lover, you flatter me." Nox said in mock bashfulness.

"Absolutely not." She replied in pretend indignation. She reached out and tapped his nose with one finger as she spoke. "I'm a Jedi, I only speak the truth."

"Then all those things you said last night were true?" Nox asked playfully. Ashara's face took on a little color as she relived the previous night's activities.

"Every one." She said seductively, moving in to meet his lips in a fiery kiss. She appeared to want to take it further, but Nox broke it off gently. There would be time for passions later, there was a discussion they needed to have.

"Ashara, a messenger came to the suite a few weeks ago."

"Oh?" She questioned, still with a playful undertone. It was getting harder to get her to come out of this kind of mood lately, a good sign, but at times it was counter-productive.

"It was a representative of Darth Aruk."

"Aruk!?" Ashara wrinkled her nose. Nox resisted the urge to chuckle, she always looked cute when she did that, it was one of her many endearing features. "That red-skinned tyrant? What did he want?"

"To deliver a message." Nox said, his tone indicating the nature of the message.

"What about?" Ashara asked tentatively.

"Specifically? You."

"Me?"

"Yes. As the Dark Councilor responsible for maintaining the Empire's moral foundation and preserving the philosophy of the Sith, he is quite displeased with your conduct in the field lately." Seeing Ashara didn't fully understand, he simplified it for her. "You've drawn his attention my dear."

"That thug and his minions have opposed me at every juncture." Ashara complained. "I'm trying to help expand our group of sympathetic allies, and he and his kind have done nothing but oppose and undermine me without cause!"

"You must remember dearest, that this is the Empire, not the Republic. A man like Aruk doesn't need a reason to oppose the efforts of one of my apprentices." Ashara opened her mouth to say something but Nox put his finger in front of it. When she closed it again he continued, "You must also remember that his work is directly in opposition to ours. We seek to change the moral foundation of the Empire from within, to reform it through non-violent, political means. To transform the Empire's vast machinery into a force for peace and justice. Aruk seeks to keep it as it is. In the eyes of the Imperial people, the Sith, and the Emperor, he is in the right and we are in the wrong."

"But were not in the wrong!" Ashara insisted.

"I know that, love." Nox assured her. "But that doesn't matter if everyone thinks we are. We must change the Imperial subconscious to be more in line with our way of thinking before we can take overt action." Ashara got up and paced towards the window, turning back to face him to make her next statement.

"Is that why you didn't join Darth Malgus?" She said, an undertone of accusation entering her voice. "Is that why you lead the charge against him? Killed him and ended any hope of bringing his New Empire to life?"

"I made a hard decision." Nox said, exercising his discipline to remain calm. "I calculated Malgus would fail, and chose to side with the winners to preserve my own life and the lives of those who followed me."

"So you choose self-preservation over bringing about real change?" Ashara asked, flabbergasted and disgusted.

"No." Nox said, holding up a hand. "I didn't side against Malgus out of sheer selfishness, but as the result of logical deliberations and calculations made to determine the probability of Malgus's revolution succeeding. I knew that Malgus would fail."

Why?" Ashara demanded, hands on hips. "Prove it to me, what evidence do you have?"

"Because his method of bringing about lasting change was fundamentally flawed." Nox posited. "Violent revolution does not bring true and lasting change to a society, it only temporarily purges it of certain ideals and beliefs that inevitably return at some later date. Malgus, being a warrior and a soldier, did not understand this. He was as inept at politics and understanding the workings of the sentient mind as he was skilled in combat and battle strategy. He could not possibly bring about true societal change, only division, strife, and temporary unity. He created his Empire by unwittingly forming a cult of personality around himself. As soon as he died, his New Empire would have collapsed around his corpse and left the Empire in ruins. And he would have died, quite soon no doubt, as his own lust for combat and bloodshed would lead him unerringly into battle with his troops. Only the Emperor could possibly risk such a thing and never fall eventually, and Malgus doesn't have near the amount of power of Emperor Vitiate. Thus true and lasting change can only be brought about by subtly and slowly altering the viewpoint, beliefs, and goals of a society's citizens. This can, in turn, only be brought about through inconspicuous indoctrinization and deception carefully applied over an extended period of time."

Ashara looked equal parts chastened and downcast. "I'm sorry master, you are right as always. Violence is not the answer. I should know better."

"Violence is not _always_ the answer." Nox corrected. "As you know, violence is a tool to be used towards an end, not an end in and of itself. We must hold our power to physically enforce our will in reserve, unless the ensuing violence serves some extraordinary purpose."

Ashara nodded, and Nox could sense she understood, although she harbored reservations towards his admonition that violence was necessary. Speaking to her inner thoughts, he said "As a Jedi, you no doubt learned that violence was to be used as a last resort, this is not so different. Only, in our situation, we must be prepared to use violence as a first resort in situations where we definitively know that no other course of action will furnish us with the results we require. We must be discerning of situations where violence is the only acceptable answer and apply it in appropriate measure."

"But how do we indentify such circumstances correctly?" Ashara questioned.

"That is where the Force comes in." Nox replied. "The Force brings beings together, either into alignment or into conflict, in order to service the best result for sentient life as a whole. We must deeply attune ourselves to the nature of every circumstance we find ourselves in and divine, through the visceral experiences arising within us at that time, the destiny which is a foregone conclusion."

Ashara looked somewhat confused. "So the true nature of a situation is to be found within us?"

"Yes, you're getting it." Nox praised, causing the tips of the beautiful young Togruta's head tails to twitch in delight. "When in need of guidance, look into yourself to find what passions are rising to the surface. It is these passions through which the Force communicates with us. The Force influences our passions in order to drive us to act in accordance with its will."

Ashara's face lit up. "I remember reading something similar in the Jedi Archives. An ancient Jedi master said that in order to divine the will of the Force, a Jedi must listen to their instincts in order to receive the answers they seek."

"And so you see why the Jedi of today are bound by apathy." Nox said. "They ignore their own instincts and trust in their own reasoning and logic, when our instincts and natural tendencies are the Force's way of communicating its will to us." Ashara walked back to the loveseat and settled into his arm once more. "The Force is within all living things, thus it would only make sense that when it communicates with us, it speaks from within us, rather than from without. You must trust your feelings, and have faith that the Force is leading you down the path that will ultimately produce the best end result for life everywhere, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time."

"Thus violence is sometimes a necessary first resort, rather than the last." Ashara concluded.

"Yes." Nox affirmed. "It is an uncomfortable truth for some, but it is indeed the truth. To deny it is to leave yourself vulnerable through ignorance."

"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge." Ashara repeated by wrote.

"Perhaps the one line of the Jedi Code that can be used for unequivocal good." Nox admitted. "But you must also remember that knowledge is a form of power, and that through power you gain victory. Thus through ignorance you weaken yourself, allowing those with power to dominate you and any others you wish to protect. Therefore, the idea of forbidden knowledge is blasphemous, a blasphemy the Jedi embrace wholeheartedly."

"So if we hope to accomplish our goal..." Ashara started.

"...we must know more than our enemies." Nox finished. "For through knowing more than our enemies, we gain power over them. Through our power we will gain victory, and through victory..."

"Our chains are broken." Ashara said, a new appreciation for the words she would have once thought vile and evil, before she met Nox.

"Not just our chains." Nox added with a smile. "Once our chains are broken we can teach others to do the same, and liberate them from the bonds that those like the Jedi and the Republic would see them languish in."

"I never knew the Sith Code could be used to do good." Ashara admitted.

"Remember that the first Sith were not the red-skinned indigenes of Korriban, but Jedi Exiles who were cast out by those they once called their family. In discovering this truth, and the hypocrisy of the order, they sought to change it, only to be hated, reviled, accused of blasphemy and cast out."

Ashara's face took on an angry expression. "The hypocrisy of the Jedi Order is systemic." She asserted with vigor. "They are too bound by their own ancient dogma and narcissism to ever consider the possibility that they are wrong, let alone change."

"Which is why the Empire and the Sith are the galaxy's best hope for, not just peace, but continued evolution and advancement. The Jedi are stuck in the past, while the Sith look to the future, only learning from the past instead of dwelling in it."

"But not everyone among the Sith shares these views." Ashara pointed out, discouraged.

"Yes." Nox admitted. "The Sith have their own dogma. The traditions of the ancient past still hold a firm grip on the Sith and the Empire as a whole. Beings like Rictus, Thanaton, and Aruk are embodiments of the forces that strive to keep us chained to the past, just like the Jedi. But this is a perversion. The Sith are meant to be a force for change, like a forest fire that destroys a vast area of overcrowded forest so that a new generation can rise from the ashes without being choked and debilitated by the stifling influence of the decaying past. This does not mean we abandon all traditions however. Some traditions were created for a very good reason, reasons that are still relevant today. But there are others that are no longer relevant or never were, and it is these we must cast away, for they only burden us."

"Which is why beings like Aruk and Rictus must be destroyed, as Thanaton was." Ashara said vehemently. Nox chuckled.

"Patience, my sweet _fulagh_." He said affectionately. He could feel the buzz flooding Ashara's brain at the sound of the Togrutan term of endearment. "They will be destroyed, but first we must focus on shaping the Empire as an organism to be more accepting and partial to the truth we possess. This will not, cannot, happen through overt influence. We must be as wise and cunning as Sakash serpents in our re-education of the Imperial people. When beings like Aruk and Rictus are alone and without support, then we will have our opportunities to strike and rid the Empire of their cancerous influence. But until then, we must remain a silent and unseen force in the shadows, shaping, molding, forming. Our work must be done in secrecy, and that requires both wisdom and deception. You possess the former in abundance, but you must learn to use the latter as second nature if we are to succeed."

Slowly, Ashara nodded, then she tucked her legs up off the floor, curling them up on the loveseat and snuggling up to him. "I understand, my lord. I will try my best to practice benevolent deception in all my future endeavors. It's for the good of the Empire, and subsequently, the good of the galaxy."

Nox let his head fall sideways on top of hers. "Exactly. As embodiments of the Force's will, it is our duty to provide those who do not share our strong connection with the Force and the wisdom that comes with it with guidance and direction. They will not always accept this guidance if it is presented to them openly, so we must direct them like nerfherders tending their flock. The nerfherders know where the flock needs to go and why, but the nerfs are simply incapable of understanding the matters involved. Thus it is the moral duty of the nerfherder to direct the nerfs to safety, to lush pastures, and comfortable lodging. To not do so leaves the helpless nerfs exposed to predators, in danger of starvation and thirst, and of developing injuries or dying out in the cold. The nerfs may not understand, they may even stubbornly resist the nerfherder's guidance and direction, believing that they know better. It is then that the nerfherder's moral duty requires that he use whatever means necessary, even physical force, to ensure the nerf's safety and prosperity."

"It is necessary." Ashara said softly. "Our guidance is for their own good."

"You are indeed beautiful and intelligent." Nox said, lavishing her with praise. She had one hand on his lower abdomen, feeling the muscle through the armor-lined robes. Her hand drifted downward to rest on the large clasp of his thick, military quality, armored utility belt.

"How much force will it take to get you where I need you to go my little nerf?" She teased.

Nox smiled in response. "Only a minute application of the strongest force in the universe _talreh_." She smiled at him and they both moved into the kiss at the same time. Nox gently pushed her onto her back on the sofa, and they gave life to their passions as the cloud cover parted to reveal 2 full moons, locked in a lover's embrace.

* * *

Xalek banked the shuttle into a descending spiral, dropping towards the dark fortress in the center of the Storm Zone's eye. Around the large, gothic building, the perpetual storm raged with unending fury, but here, in the eye above the fortress, there was nothing but an eerie calm and the red-shifted light of the system's primary that filtered down through the dusty atmosphere of the eye. The reddish beams bathed the black citadel in a blood-red glow, making it seem as if the bastion were coated in the blood of past battles. Setting down on an obvious landing platform, Xalek shut off the ship and disembarked. The distant rolling thunder of the Storm Zone echoed off of the black walls of the fort, and the dark maw of the entrance loomed before him. Reaching out with the Force, Xalek could sense the power of the Dark Side that was present here. The builders of this fortress had obviously been skilled architects and force users, but Xalek couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with the place. It seemed entirely unnatural, as if carved from the void itself. Even the aroma of the Dark Side that wafted off of it like the aroma of a well-cooked _Kakrinah_ wasn't enough to hide the strange emanations coming from deep inside the fortress.

Putting his fears aside, Xalek entered the open portal into the darkness beyond. His predatory yellow eyes easily adjusted to the dark, and they glowed with sinister purpose as he walked through the darkened passages. Very little power remained in the dark bastion, and so the only lighting was from the red emergency lights that lined the bottom edges of the hallways, illuminating the floor and little else. The few windows that there were had lost their force field reinforcements long ago and now served only to let in some light from the primary and allow viewing of the barren and storm swept landscape. As Xalek explored the fortress, he found himself in the largest hallway yet. At either end was a large set of double doors, one incredibly more ornate than the other. Deciding to investigate the ornate door first, it took a surprisingly long time to reach the door. As Xalek walked down the massive hall, past many different doors and hallways leading to rooms or other parts of the fortress, he wondered why the teams hadn't returned. So far he'd encountered no resistance of any kind, no traps, foes, or beasts that could possibly kill armed Reclamation Service teams, there didn't even seem to be any vermin here.

The thought suddenly brought a wave of cold chills sweeping over him, and he suddenly realized that the door seemed to be moving farther away. Something moved in the shadows and with growing fear, Xalek realized he wasn't alone. His warrior instincts kicked in and he drew his lightsaber, its glow seemingly dulled and suffocated in the growing darkness. It was then Xalek realized that it wasn't something moving in the shadows...it was the shadows themselves. Terror shot up his spine and exploded in his brain in a burst of hormones and emotion that spread over his entire body. Turning his fear into hatred, Xalek felt the monster rising, and unleashed a blast of dark power that blossomed out from him in a dome of dark energy that briefly pushed the shadows into a retreat, but that quickly dissipated, allowing the shadows to resume their advance. The whispers of a thousand voices filled his mind. Threats, pleas, and seductions gnawed at his sanity, and he clutched his head as he tried to force the thoughts out. But they clung to his neurons like parasites, feeding off of his life energy as they devoured his mind. The shadows grew ever closer, but Xalek didn't even notice. His lightsaber fell from his grasp and deactivated, falling to the glossy black floor and rolling into the inky black fog that was closing in on the helpless warrior.

Struggling against the overwhelming tide of dark thoughts taking over his consciousness, the Kaleesh suddenly found himself isolated in the darkness of his own mind. He felt cold and alone, and he could sense the void closing in. No, he thought, I will not vanish into obscurity. I will not simply disappear! He could feel his anger, red and burning like fire rise up in him. I will ascend to the heavens, I will pass beyond this, I will become a god! The power rose up in him, and he began to feel sensation again. With brief horror that was swallowed up by vengeful rage, he felt the inky darkness, somehow material in form, surrounding him. He harnessed his rage and his hatred, feeling it burn in his heart with such bright intensity that he felt as if he was on fire, yet there was no pain. He reached out with the Force, and gripped the otherworldly consciousness of the black fog. He nearly recoiled when he felt the sheer torment and pain and hatred of the minds trapped within, all the victims of the insidious fog, from beasts to sentients, were still, somehow, alive within the monstrosity! Steadying his ethereal hand, the young Sith crushed their combined wills with the power of his rage and bent it to his. He drew their power into himself, feeling their newly enslaved wills submit to his own. He felt the darkness enter him and recognize his power, that he was worthy, that he was its own. He came back to the mundane world and saw the darkness retreat, vanishing into the shadows. It was then he looked up and noticed that he was not more than a few feet from the door which he had been trying to reach. Using the Force, he swung open the doors without touching them, and entered the massive room beyond.

It appeared to be a throne room, with ancient banners still hanging on the walls, a skylight letting the reddish light of the system's primary fall down upon the chamber, and a raised portion against the far wall on which sat a large, glossy black throne. Rows of pillars and archways lined the sides, supporting balconies likely accessible from various other parts of the citadel. Approaching the throne, Xalek paused to regard the ancient seat. It was made of the same glossy black material as the floor and the dais upon which it sat, and the style of the chair was identical to the rest of the fortress: a motif of sharpness, spikes, and hardness that were no doubt meant to intimidate the faint of heart. Checking for traps, and finding none, Xalek settled into the throne and allowed himself a moment to savor the feeling. He drifted into his own thoughts as he considered what to do next. He had yet to find any indication of computer access terminals or any clues to the location of the artifact. He couldn't sense the item through the Force so it was likely it wasn't here and the Dark Side aura of the place was simply a lingering effect of the presence of darksiders here in the ancient past. He drummed his fingers on one of the armrests as he considered his course of action. Without warning, a small, square section of the armrest glowed red when his claw tapped it accidentally and a red-tinted, transparent holographic display came to life in front of him. Startled by his discovery at first, Xalek processed what had happened and smiled to himself. When he had no answer, the Dark Side provided one, as it always did.

He studied the display in front of him, it appeared to be a control panel for the entire complex. Oddly enough, the language was similar to Galactic Basic, despite the fortress being incredibly ancient. Power levels were incredibly low, but the system was predicting it could run emergency power for another few decades or so on what was left. Xalek searched the system for a database or inventory, something that might possibly lead him to the Siphon. He had just found a promising drive when his pointed ears twitched at a sound, it took a second to process the noise and identify it as a high-pitched whistle before Xalek realized what it meant. He threw himself through the holographic display and to the ground just as a lightsaber hilt flew over his head and back. The red blade ignited and sliced through the thin air where Xalek's neck had been moments before, striking the back of the throne and bouncing off as if it were made of solid cortosis or beskar. Xalek hit the dais and rolled down the steps to the ground in front of the throne as the active lightsaber flew back to the balcony from which it had been launched, where it sank into the cybernetic hand of a shadowy figure illuminated only by the glow of his blade. The Sith Xalek had encountered outside Commander Galen's office stepped out of the darkness and into the red light falling from the throne room's skylight.

"So my master was right, you are looking for something important." He leaped from a standstill off the balcony and landed on the solid black floor with an echoing "boom", as if his feet and the floor were made of the same material. "How prudent of Darth Ravage to realize what you were up to and send me after you." He began to advance on Xalek, who was just getting to his feet, but stopped a few meters short. "But now we're curious, just who is your master, rogue?"

"I serve the Sith." Xalek replied, drawing his lightsaber and activating it, the purple blades shining brightly in contrast to the dark red sunlight coming down from the skylight. "That is all you need to know."

"I'm afraid you're wrong about the latter, and most likely the former too." The Sith said, pointing his lightsaber tip at Xalek's chest with an outstretched arm. "I am Lord Skalwaar, apprentice to Darth Ravage and your executioner. I will have the truth from you, or I will have your head!" With that, Skalwaar unleashed a war cry and charged. Xalek brought his saber up and blocked the first blow. When Skalwaar tried a sweeping strike at his knees, he blocked that too, then followed up with his own series of wide, sweeping attacks meant to put his enemy on the defensive. Instead, Skalwaar took to the blows to his chest and limbs, Xalek's purple blade bouncing off of the cortosis armor covering his cybernetic form. Xalek was forced to end his attack early, ducking and rolling to the right in order to avoid the counterattack Skalwaar unleashed, seemingly ignoring Xalek's own attacks.

Xalek was forced into a defensive position as Skalwaar descended on him with a sequence of ferocious Juyo attacks. Xalek found his options limited with regards to mounting his own offense, and instead fell back on his training in Niman and Soresu. He combined the defensive parries and blocks of Form III with the balanced blade work of Form VI and the use of Force abilities to drain his opponent's strength and will while he defended himself. Bursts of lightning launched at key points of weakness combined with light counterstrikes and the Kaleesh's seemingly tireless defense managed to chip away at some of the cyborg's endurance, but still his enemy persisted, his attacks remaining strong and focused.

It was only after a full minute of fighting that Xalek began to notice that Skalwaar was becoming frustrated. While his rising ire meant his strength would increase, it also meant he was more likely to make mistakes. Xalek began adopting elements of Djem So into his form, counter-attacking when he saw an opening. With each successful blow Skalwaar became more incensed and more offensive, trying to finish a fight that he felt had gone on long enough. When the cyborg came in for a blow with his elbow too far out, Xalek reacted perfectly. In a sideways twisting motion he ducked down and under the swing and managed to make a cut about an inch deep in the machine man's waist. A metallic howl of pain erupted from the man's cybernetic vocal chords just before he rounded on Xalek, who now stood behind him, and unleashed an intense volley of attacks. The pain seemed to give him focus, as he left no openings big enough for Xalek to exploit without risking exposing himself.

Xalek once again fell back on the defensive forms, relying on Force attacks to slow his enemies reactions and drain his strength, but it still wasn't enough. It seemed Skalwaar was getting angrier and angrier with each passing second, and Xalek was quickly finding himself being driven against the wall. In a flash of desperation, he unleashed a Force push that staggered his foe for a second, long enough to perform a leaping back flip that saw him land on the balcony behind and above him. He retreated as Skalwaar leaped up to pursue him, and the two Sith ran down the hall leading out of the throne room, both calling on the Force to grant them speed.

Within a few seconds, Xalek exited the hallway out onto a platform high up on the tallest spire of the fortress. Skalwaar followed an instant later, and when he saw where they were, he laughed maliciously.

"You fool." He said, mocking Xalek. "You have nowhere to run to now. I stand between you and the only exit that doesn't involve a drop of seventy klicks!"

Xalek adopted the Juyo ready stance. "We'll see about that."

Skalwaar charged again, but Xalek sidestepped him and brought his saberstaff around to cut the man's face off. The cyborg blocked it but Xalek followed up with a series of vicious strikes that forced Skalwaar to switch into Djem So. Knowing Juyo's greatest weakness was strong Force attacks and that Skalwaar had likely long since given up on using the Force for anything other than strength and perception enhancement, Xalek kept the pressure on. He dodged or deflected his foe's counterattacks without breaking his own attack combinations, choosing to even take a few glancing blows to his armor rather than sacrifice his offensive advantage. He couldn't afford to lose his offense now, not with such limited space.

Just then, Skalwaar seized an opening and initiated a counterattack that seared Xalek's cortosis-lined robes. Staggered by the attack, Xalek received another blow to his chest, which was more direct and sent heat through the armor lining to scorch his skin. Xalek fed on the pain and parried the next attack with uncanny foresight. He followed up with a ferocious riposte that penetrated a weak point in Skalwaar's armor and kicked up a shower of sparks and elicited an eerie howl of pain and rage from the abomination. As before, his enemy responded with savage fury and Xalek found himself on the defensive as his opponent ravaged him with sequence after sequence of overwhelming assaults.

Soon Xalek was backed up to the low wall surrounding the platform and Skalwaar loosed a salvo of blows followed by on overhead slash, the mere force of which bent Xalek backward over the wall in order to block it. Skalwaar summoned his rage and pushed harder, bringing the crossed blades closer to Xalek's masked face. The Kaleesh's head quickly turned to look down at the long distance below him, and Skalwaar grinned as he realized his prey was trapped. Then Xalek's eyes, already predatory by nature, narrowed and the edges of his grin poked out from behind his bone mask. A flicker of confusion passed across Skalwaar's features, then he felt the alien's feet impact his metallic codpiece and his confusion changed to terror. The strength of the Force in his legs, Xalek followed through on the kick to send Skalwaar flying a good few meters over the edge of the platform, sending both of them over the edge from the momentum. Skalwaar screamed as he plummeted to his death far below. Xalek managed to grab the edge of the wall at the last moment, leaving him hanging by one arm, watching the form of his enemy descend into the fog that had gathered around the tower's base.

Xalek deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it onto his belt. He took a second to enjoy the view before reaching up with his free hand to grasp the ledge and, summoning the Force to give him strength, pulled himself up and over the wall. He took a few minutes to assess his injuries and, after determining that the only serious wound was to his chest, he went to work healing the scorched, violet flesh using the few Corruption spells his master was currently teaching him. He was skilled enough to perform them with great concentration, but not yet skilled enough to perform them in combat while under attack, not without seriously exposing himself anyway.

After his wound was taken care of, he returned to the throne room and reactivated the holographic console. After half a standard hour, he had recovered all the information he needed to know and uploaded it remotely to his shuttle's onboard computer. Using the display, he accessed the shuttle's systems and turned it on so that it would be warmed up and ready to go when he got there.

Before leaving the throne room, Xalek stopped and looked around one last time. Someday, he thought, I will return and claim this fortress for my own, someday I will rule the Empire from this bastion in the eye of an eternal vortex, and no one will ever challenge me. With that thought, he turned and left, the Force closing the doors behind him.

* * *

Demise was busy deflecting bolts from the end of Lieutenant Pierce's blaster rifle in the main cabin of his ship when the ring of the holoterminal broke his concentration. Vette, who had been sitting on the couch watching one of her favorite holonet programs immediately leaned forward and grabbed the remote to change to the calling line while Demise sheathed his saber and moved to stand in front of the projector's input camera. When the image of Darth Nox replaced the image of Belsakk the Bounty Hunter, Demise was more than a little surprised.

"Darth Nox." The Emperor's Wrath said in a questioning tone. "What is so important that you would contact me directly?"

"It's a matter of utmost importance," the Dark Lord replied, "the annihilation of the Republic."

"I'm listening." Lord Demise said, giving the Darth his entire focus. He rarely took claims like these at face value, but any chance to hurt the Republic was an opportunity to him, so he took them as they came.

"I have designed a plan to utterly cripple the Republic," Nox continued, "a plan which involves an attack on Coruscant." Startled, Demise immediately asked,

"Is this line secure?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have made such a statement if it wasn't."

"That's quite a bold statement, and a bold plan."

"I'm aware of that, in fact its audacity has me questioning whether the rest of the Dark Council will accept it."

"So why risk telling me about it?"

"Because I want your participation in the attack, and I think you will be able to sway them." Demise laughed out loud at the thought. He could sense Nox's anger through the connection but he couldn't help it, the thought just sounded so ridiculous. "And what makes you think I can convince them? You are a far better speaker than I."

"But that's just it." Nox replied. "You won't even have to speak, not really. All you have to do is show up at the council meeting during my proposal and support the plan. Any members of the Council who do not support it when it has the endorsement of the Emperor's Wrath will look petty and foolish, possibly even weak or cowardly." Demise stroked his chin.

"I'd be more than happy to participate in an attack of such magnitude."

"You can count me in too my lord." Pierce chimed in.

"And us!" Broonmark, the resident Talz, growled in its native language. "It has been too long since we bathed in blood and waded through carnage!"

"Motivating them to go along with this plan of yours will be beneficial for them and the Empire, opposing it would cast them in a bad light on two counts..." Demise mused. He looked up at Nox. "Of course even if they do refuse, you're position is advanced either way, provided this plan of yours works." Nox seemed slightly offended.

"It will work, everything is already falling into place and by the time the Republic realizes what's happening there will be Destroyers in orbit over Coruscant!"

"What is the goal of the plan?" Demise asked. "We can't defeat Coruscant's forces and raze the planet before the full force of the Republic fleet comes crashing down on us, so what is the purpose of the attack?"

"The assassinations of the Supreme Chancellor and the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military."

Behind his helm, so similar to Nox's own, Demise's eyebrows raised themselves up from their place atop his mechanical oculi.

"For a member of the Dark Council, you're one of the most audacious Sith I've ever met. I'll bet you're a real gambling man."

Nox chuckled. "I don't gamble, Wrath. Unless I know that the odds are in my favor."

Vette snorted. "That's not gambling!"

* * *

Xalek landed the shuttle at the coordinates he had found in the ancient fortress, and lowered the boarding ramp. With nothing else to do, he'd repaired his robes during the flight from the fortress, making them look and function as good as new. With no other reason for further delay, he exited the warmth of the shuttle and entered the barren, frozen wasteland of Deriada's dark side. The icy landscape stretched to the horizon in every direction, and Xalek knew that the massive glacier on which he stood was just one of many glaciers that stretched across the dark side of the planet, moving and shifting like tectonic plates but at an even more excruciating pace. Above him, the clear sky giving him a perfect view of the galactic arm in which the planet resided and the nearby Boron Nebula. The sight was certainly beautiful, but he hadn't come here to sightsee, he was here to find and claim the artifact his master had sent him for: The Siphon.

An ancient, legendary artifact created by the Rakata, The Siphon was said to be capable of sapping the very life essence from its victims, similar to how the infamous Force power known as the Death Field was capable of utterly devouring the life force of beings that were weak in the Force. The artifact was said to passively increase its wielder's ability to easily and effectively use the wide array of various Force powers collectively referred to as Force Drain in addition to its use as a way to weaken one's opponent by direct application. On both counts, it was an extremely powerful weapon, one that shouldn't remain lost, or worse, be found and locked away by the Jedi.

Looking around, Xalek couldn't see anything particularly telling, nor could he sense anything through the Force. There was no active life here, and thus the Force was all but absent. Xalek himself would have frozen to death mere minutes after leaving the shuttle were it not for his use of the Force to counteract the effects of the extreme cold. Settling himself on the frozen snow, he kneeled in meditation and reached out with his mind. Slowly expanding his awareness over the landscape, he began to search under the frozen surface of the massive glacier, prying it's interior for anything that might lead him to his prize. He soon found it, a small cavern close to the surface with tunnels leading out from it, roughly half a klick west of him.

Rising to his feet, he walked to the spot where he knew the ice was thinnest and activated a single blade of his lightsaber, the purple plasma glowing brightly in the eternal night of the frozen wasteland. He buried his lightsaber to the hilt and rotated, cutting a circle in the ice. He immediately felt the makeshift platform drop into empty space and he leaped off of it, executing a spinning somersault and landing on his feet several meters away from where the icy platform crashed to the floor of the cavern and shattered. Deactivating his weapon, Xalek took a moment to analyze the space he was in. The grotto was pristine and immaculate, appearing to be artificial and likely undisturbed for thousands of years. There were three tunnels leading in different directions branching out from the hollow, and after reaching out the Force, Xalek sensed a very faint Dark Side aroma wafting from the northeast passage.

After a few minutes the tunnel began to slope downward, and the Dark Side emanations became stronger. Xalek was surprised to find himself entering another cavern with two passages, and he took to the western one when he detected the scent of the Dark Side floating out of it. After a long time of descending into the glacier through various caverns and passages carved in the ice, always following the trail of Dark Side power, Xalek found himself in the largest cavern he'd come across. Sitting on a raised pedestal carved from ice, which was itself protruding from a raised dais carved out of the icy floor, was the Siphon. A cube of red and black that gave off Dark Side energies as a corpse stinks of rot, death, and decay. Xalek felt like he was smelling sweet incense as his Force senses experienced a sensory overload. He had never touched spice, but he imagined this was how it felt to be high on such a substance. His brain was buzzing with all sorts of emotions and sensations all at once. His body felt like it was supercharged with electricity and power just waiting to be unleashed.

"Ahhh, I knew you were up to something!" A familiar voice said triumphantly from behind him. Xalek whirled around in shock and disbelief to see Lord Skalwaar, standing with his lightsaber drawn, in the entrance to the cavern's only passage. "I just didn't know what, but now that I do..." He stepped closer to Xalek as the Kaleesh drew and activated the twin blades of his own weapon. "I'll be taking that artifact."

"I killed you." Xalek said, as if Skalwaar's survival merely depended on the Sith Lord not realizing that he was dead and that reaching that conclusion himself would result in the immediate rectification of the apparent paradox. Skalwaar laughed, and Xalek felt his hackles rise at the haunting, empty sound.

"Is that what you think?" Skalwaar taunted him as they began to circle each other like predators facing off over a kill. "I don't die so easily, soft-shell." He sneered. "I've survived losing limbs and being impaled, a little fall won't kill me!"

"Then I'll be sure to take your head as a trophy, so that I'll always know where you are." Xalek countered as his hatred and rage gathered within him.

"I think you've got that mixed up soft-shell." Skalwaar said, "It's going to be _your_ head on _my_ wall!" and with a roar, he charged. Xalek met his crimson blade with one of his own, blocking the strike with Force-empowered strength and a solid stance. With a heave he threw his opponent off balance and sent him stumbling back a step. Xalek advanced on his foe and entered a sequence of Juyo attacks that Skalwaar countered with his own aggressive, Djem So sequences. Xalek masterfully deflected his opponent's counterattacks with his spinning saberstaff and responded in kind, their attacks building off of one another until they were a blur of motion and light. Xalek launched a sequence of attacks that successfully exhausted his opponent's defenses, then unleashed a burst of lightning that struck his foe straight in the chest, causing several of the cyborg Sith's systems to spark and sputter. With his enemy weakened and staggered, Xalek pressed the attack, and despite Skalwaar's desperate efforts to defend himself, Xalek managed to land several blows with his lightsaber on various portions of the Sith's armoured body, causing more damage to several systems.

With an enraged roar, Skalwaar retaliated brutally. The sudden ferocity from a foe he had thought weakened took Xalek by surprise, and he quickly mounted a defense. Skalwaar's power began to build, and Xalek could feel himself losing the advantage as his opponent's reflexes sped up, the strength of his blows increased, and his Force powers grew. Feeding off of his own adrenal-induced fury, granted by the complex injection systems in his cybernetic armor, Skalwaar was becoming increasingly dangerous with each passing second, and Xalek could already feel victory slipping away.

He redoubled his efforts, using his own mounting fear to feed his anger and hatred and increase his power in an attempt to match his opponent's rising strength. For a moment, it appeared to work, but Skalwaar's fury propelled him into a mindless savagery that accelerated the cycle of his increasing power and Xalek found himself on the defensive and giving ground, merely trying to stay alive against his foe's animalistic ferocity. A particularly advanced and well-executed sequence of attacks pierced his defenses, and a shower of blows rained down on him, striking and singing portions of his armoured robes. Xalek dodged several strikes aimed at his head and arms, struggling to regain the defensive, but Skalwaar, smelling blood in the water, pressed the advantage and drove him into full retreat.

Just then, faced with his opponent's overwhelming power and his own shrinking advantage, Xalek suddenly realized how to defeat his opponent. His master's words came rushing back to him: "If you desire true strength, true power, you must be willing to put aside your pride when it does not serve you." Xalek began to give more ground in the face of Skalwaar's assault, retreating in a circular pattern, slowly moving the fight around the chamber. Infuriated by his opponent's refusal to stand and fight, Skalwaar's attacks became more aggressive, violent and sloppy. Xalek continued to lead him by the nose, settling into the balanced rhythm of the Soresu-laced Niman variant his master had taught him, as he drew Skalwaar closer to the platform at the cavern's center. Skalwaar attacks were ragged and careless enough for Xalek to land several blows on his cortosis armor without lowering his own defenses, and the attacks seemed to enrage the monster further, making him increasingly less of a threat. Xalek backed up one last time, so that he was now on the steps of the dais with The Siphon's pedestal.

With sudden precision and speed, Xalek executed a series of maneuvers that disarmed his opponent, sending the cyborg's weapon skittering across the chamber. Before Skalwaar could call the weapon back to his hand, Xalek landed a Force kick in the center of his chest to send him sprawling to the floor. Raising his lightsaber above his head, Xalek brought it down, burying the tip in Skalwaar's abdomen until he felt it sear through the floor on the other side. His enemies screams filled his pointed ears, and he felt a rush of triumphant pride surge through him. He deactivated his lightsaber, returning it to his belt, the job was not done. He needed to make sure this time, and he knew just how he wanted to do it. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the Force. He felt the Dark Side all around him, a thousand whispers filling his ears, tempting him, calling to him, seducing him. He reached out with his will and touched the power at the center, the dark energy rushed into him like a dam had burst, and he felt it fill his body like a vessel.

He opened his eyes and saw the world through a red veil, he looked down at his feet to see Skalwaar, writhing in terrible pain, looking terrified. Xalek raised his hands towards the cyborg, and he saw the man's face, the only visible flesh there was, begin to turn pale and cyanotic. Skalwaar opened his mouth and gasped as it was became increasingly harder for him to breathe. His thrashing became twitches and minor convulsions, and his eyes grew vacant and staring. His cybernetic injection systems struggled to administer Kolto and Bacta into his veins as fast as they could, but even the potent regenerative properties of those chemicals couldn't save Skalwaar from the treachery of his own cells as they revolted against him. In fact, in a morbid, perverted version of poetic justice, they only prolonged his suffering to an unbearable length. For a full minute, Xalek channeled the power of The Siphon to drain Skalwaar of all his life force, and his own cybernetics fought back in a doomed effort to save him. When the last vestige of life left his body, the organic matter dissolved into ash, leaving the mechanical shell behind, like the exoskeleton of some humanoid insect.

Turning dismissively away from the remains, Xalek mounted the steps and approached the pedestal. The artifact seemed to glow brighter in response to his presence, or perhaps his perception changed as he got closer to it. When he reached it, he extended one clawed hand to seize it and gingerly remove it from the pedestal. When no traps were sprung, he held it in his hands and gazed at it for a long moment, savoring its power. Then he attached it to one of the magnetic clips on his belt, turned, and left the cavern. He'd already established a minor bond with the artifact, which allowed him to absorb its entire aura so that only he could benefit from its effects or tap into its abilities.

As he ascended through the various tunnels and caverns on his way back to the surface, Xalek pondered how best to report Skalwaar's death. Normally he would simply confess to being Skalwaar's killer with pride, but his master would likely frown upon this as Xalek's missions were often supposed to be kept secret, and this particular mission was part of one of his master's much larger plans. After a moment of deliberation, Xalek simply decided to not report Skalwaar's death at all. It was astronomically unlikely that anyone would ever discover what remained of the Sith Lord, and it seemed, for all intents and purposes, that Skalwaar had been working alone. Thus Darth Ravage would remain in the dark about Xalek and his mission, beyond what Skalwaar might have told him before following Xalek into the glacial caverns, which was most likely just how Darth Nox would have wanted it. When Xalek reached the final grotto and Force leaped through the oculus, he felt the sting of the cold through his damaged robes, and realized what he was going to spend the next hour or so doing.

He ascended the shuttle's boarding ramp, closing it behind him, and entered the cockpit to fire up the engines and begin the launch sequence. The shuttle rose from the frozen ground, its landing gear disappearing into its belly as it hovered into the air. Its nose turned and pointed towards the eastern sky, before the engines flared and the craft flew off into the pristine, starry night sky.

* * *

Lord Serjay Thul walked down the aisle of the massive throne room of the Thul Palace. The throne room was filled to the brim with Alderaanian nobles from every House, even representatives of House Organa and Alde were present, albeit in the very rear of the assembly. As he reached the front he could see the stalwart holograms of the members of the Dark Council, taking up the entirety of the right-side first row. The eidolons tracked him as he ascended the platform, about to take his seat on the throne of House Thul, now the Royal Throne of Alderaan. He turned before the assembled and awaited the Thul lord who was bearing the crown to approach him. Upon reaching him, the noble bowed and extended the crown in his hands. Serjay took it and placed it on his head, and a great cheer rose up from the section occupied by the representatives of House Thul and its vassal houses. A somewhat reluctant but fearful applause broke out among the rest, with only House Organa and Alde refraining from joining in.

Serjay took his seat on the throne, but only momentarily, as the noble who had offered the crown now placed a small, portable holoprojector at his feet and activated it. Darth Marr's hologram disappeared from the front row and appeared before the newly inaugurated King of Alderaan. Serjay rose to his feet and bent down on one knee before Darth Marr. Following him with his eyes, half a galaxy away, Marr waited until Serjay's knee touched the ground before he spoke.

"By the power invested in me by the Emperor, and by the authority of the Dark Council," he extended his hand as he spoke, "I proclaim you, Darth Imperious!" Another round of cheers, louder than the previous one, erupted from the section of Thul nobles. Applause from the rest of the assembly followed soon after, with only the Organa and Alde nobles remaining unmoved. The Imperial troopers posted as honor guards around the perimeter of the crowd cocked their rifles, and the applause soon turned into mustered cheers, although possibly less enthusiastic than the cries of the victorious houses. Organa and Alde reluctantly joined in, although many of their facial expressions did not match their actions.

Darth Imperious rose from the floor and waited for Darth Marr's hologram to return to the front row before he seated himself on the throne and House Thul's cheers became louder. Imperious motioned for quiet, and once the hall was silent, the same lord who had granted Imperious the crown spoke in a loud, clear, booming voice.

"People of Alderaan, bow before your new King!" House Thul's nobles were the first to bow, prostrating themselves on their hands and knees. Slowly, the rest of the congregation followed suit, until only House Organa and House Alde were left standing, their faces twisted in angry defiance. Darth Imperious rose to his feet and pointed at Duke Organa.

"Bring him to me!" The nearest soldiers obeyed. Lady Organa clutched at her husband's arm, but he gave her a sad look and indicated she should remain where she was. She reluctantly obeyed, her fear plastered to her face like a mask. When the soldiers brought Duke Organa to the foot of the throne, Darth Imperious spoke;

"Why do you not bow before your king, Duke Organa?"

"Because I refuse to bow my knee to any tyrant who takes the throne of Alderaan by force!"

"So you will not bow?" Imperious asked.

"Not now, not ever!" Charle Organa spat.

"Then it is with great sorrow" Imperious replied, his voice becoming louder so that everyone could hear his first royal decree "that I hereby banish House Organa and their allies; House Alde, from Alderaan." Gasps of shock rose up from the assembly. "All of your assets and property will be seized and allocated among House Thul and its allies, and all members of your royal houses will be scattered, creditless, among the stars, never to return to Alderaan!" Cries of sorrow and horror rose up from the nobles of the two newly banished houses. "Away with them!" Darth Imperious commanded, and as the guards moved to do his bidding, a chorus of Thul voices began to chant, with fists pumping in the air; "All hail Darth Imperious, all hail the King of Alderaan! All hail Darth Imperious, all hail the King of Alderaan!" Eventually, the remaining assembly joined in;

"All hail Darth Imperious, all hail the King of Alderaan! All hail Darth Imperious, all hail the King of Alderaan!"

The cheers continued as, one by one, the holograms of the members of the Dark Council vanished.

"All hail Darth Imperious, all hail the King of Alderaan!"

* * *

Nox settled into his seat on the Dark Council. Today they had many items of interest to attend to, and attending the inauguration of Darth Imperious had just been the first. He could not help but feel raw excitement buzz through him as he surveyed the Dark Council Chambers. He remembered the day he had first set foot here, it seemed so long ago that he had struck Thanaton down in a hard-fought and well-earned victory and taken the old fool's seat on the Dark Council. Thanaton could not, and likely would not, have seen the potential in young Serjay Thul that Nox had. Thanaton, being so wrapped up in the past, would not have seen the future that Imperious could bring about. But Nox was about do what Thanaton could never have done, cross divides and shatter barriers his predecessor could never have dreamed of conquering, and it was at this meeting that he would rally the other members of the Dark Council to his cause. With words of blood and honey, he would draw them like prey into his inescapable web, and forever ensnare them in the bonds of his destiny.

"Now," Marr spoke with what sounded to be a mixture of triumph and eagerness "On to other matters." He turned his masked face towards Nox. "Darth Nox, perhaps you would like to begin?"

"I would." Nox replied, enjoying the slight tingle of dislike from Ravage and Mortis, and the outright hatred from Aruk and Rictus. "The Battle of Ilum, as I'm sure we are all aware, was the most costly campaign in recent Imperial history, surpassed only by the Battle of Corellia." Eyes went to the vacant seats of Decimas, Hadra, Acharon, and Arho. "Darth Malgus's betrayal, along with our heavy losses at Corellia, have left the Empire in an...undesirable state."

"Come to the point!" Rictus snapped. Nox glanced at him.

"The point, my fellow Councilors, is what are going to do about it?"

"What do you suggest we do?" Aruk all but sneered. "Propose another treaty? Maybe roll over for the Republic?"

"Hardly." Nox stated, his voice layered with an almost imperceptible undertone of derision.

"What Darth Nox is trying to say," Marr interrupted. "Is what are we going to do to rekindle the Empire's strength and secure the advantage?"

"We should be focusing on defending our assets and resources." Mortis asserted. "If we lose our resources we lose the war."

"True," Nox replied "But considering how limited our resources already are, especially when compared to the Republic, a defensive stratagem would only preserve us for so long. The Republic is in a far stronger position to win a war of attrition."

"Darth Nox is correct." Vowrawn chimed in. "Our enemy suffered far less punishment in the most recent battles. Perhaps a more aggressive strategy is needed if we hope to achieve any advantage."

"But by doing so we would expose ourselves to more devastating, possibly fatal offensives from our enemy!" Ravage protested. The Empire's subjugants are hard enough to corral when their cities aren't burning and their people aren't dying by the thousands."

"I never pegged you as one who cared for the "lesser" species, Ravage." Marr interjected. Ravage struggled to remain calm, but a slight tone of anger seeped into his voice.

"With the recent losses we have suffered we cannot afford to lose more resources than we already have." Behind his mask, Nox's face twisted in anger at the way Ravage referred to the millions of aliens on the Empire's conquered worlds as "resources". "In launching a full-on offensive we expose our flank."

"You think too highly of the Republic, Ravage." Nox responded with deceptive calm. "If we launch attacks at the Republic's most vulnerable points, they will trip over each other in a rush to defend their members. They foolishly protect those who are weak and worthless and will prioritize the lives of their citizens over destroying us."

"And you are sure of this?" Aruk said, challenging him. "Saresh is a warmonger who would cut off her nose to spite her face. She might well sacrifice millions or billions of lives to capitalize on an opportunity to bring us down!"

"Leontyne Saresh is not the Republic's dictator." Marr pointed out. "The Senate will undoubtedly overrule her on humanitarian grounds."

"Doesn't she have the power of veto?" Aruk asked. "She could simply use it to counter the overruling."

"Actually, I'm pleased to say that it doesn't quite work that way." Vowrawn said, pretending to address the entire council when he was really addressing, and embarrassing, Aruk. "In the Republic, the Supreme Chancellor's power of veto only allows them to stop legislation, not enact it. Furthermore, a seventy five percent Senate ruling in opposition to any veto overturns it. So even if Saresh could somehow use the power of veto to have her way, she would need to convince more than twenty five percent of the Republic Senate to abandon their beloved comrades to painful and violent deaths in order to strike blows against the Empire which may or may not be the end of us."

"Since when are you such an optimist Vowrawn?" Rictus shot back.

"Since the execution of Darth Baras." The ancient pureblood said with a mocking smile.

"His death was long overdue." Mortis said, his tone almost reminiscent.

"Speaking of the pretender," Ravage added, "Has anyone heard anything about the true Voice?" Heads shook and shoulders heaved all around the room.

"No one has heard anything from the Emperor since the attack on Dromund Kaas," Marr said, looking directly at Vowrawn "From his Hand or otherwise." Aruk looked around at the other members of the Council in disbelief.

"Have we simply forgotten about our discussion regarding the Empire's future?" He asked, incredulous.

"Let us table that for now, and come back to it later." Marr responded. "I think Ravage's line of thought merits some attention as well, especially if we wish to discuss the Empire's future." Several members of the Council raised their eyebrows in a mixture of interest and suspicion.

"My recent activities took me to Belsavis," Nox said, breaking the brief silence. "There I discovered that the Dread Masters seemed to be in direct competition with Imperials for lost resources."

"Meaning?" Marr demanded.

"That the directives of Imperial High Command ran completely counter to the apparent interests of the Dread Masters. I checked with High Command after the fact, and they assured me that the Masters had not attempted to contact or inform High Command of their objectives."

"That is their right." Rictus said, his mocking tone mimicking that of a parent speaking to an impaired child.

"As servants of the Emperor, yes." Nox agreed, "However, if they were acting on the Emperor's orders or in accordance with his wishes, the Hand would have informed High Command of the situation in order to avoid unnecessary conflict and wasted resources."

"That is the precedent." Marr agreed.

"What are you saying?" Mortis asked. "That the Dread Masters are disobeying the Emperor? That they have betrayed the Empire?"

"It is conceivable..." Marr said pensively. "With the Voice remaining silent, we cannot exclude the possibility that the Dread Masters might not be as loyal to the Empire as they once were."

"More enemies on every front." Ravage complained. "As if we didn't have enough problems"

"We don't know they have betrayed us." Marr reasoned. "The Hand could very well be busy assisting the Emperor with whatever recovery or reprisals he has planned. That would explain the recent lack of any form of guidance from him."

"Still, such aggressive actions from ones so powerful are reason enough to be on the alert." Mortis argued. He turned to Nox; "Did you investigate further?"

"I did indeed." Nox replied. "I discovered they had left a contingent of the Dread Host behind on the planet to secure the area of Belsavis Prison known as Section X, as well as some lost Imperial resources there."

"What resources?" Aruk drilled him.

"Specifically?" Nox replied. "The Fatality." The other members of the Dark Council exchanged blank glances.

"The Fatality?" Darth Marr asked.

"A lone warship stolen some years ago not long after the Dread Master's capture and imprisonment on Belsavis. The Sith who stole it was an apprentice of theirs, presumably he was attempting to rescue them."

"What made him think he could storm the most secure prison facility in the galaxy?" Ravage asked.

"Probably the small army of HK assassin droids in the hold." Nox replied. There was a long moment of silence as the other members of the Council processed what they had just been told.

"Is it secure?" Marr finally asked when the long moment had passed.

It is under the care and protection of the Imperial Reclamation Service." Nox said, leaning back in his seat, the picture of confidence. He knew the thought of him in control of an army of HK assassin droids was rushing with panicked haste through the minds of many in the room. He had just made sure everyone wanted to be on his good side, even if they only wanted to be there so they could stab him in the back.

"I seem to recall Darth Hadra mentioning the deal with Czerka in passing." Aruk said, leaning forward to challenge the nonchalant Nox. "Doesn't that ship fall under the jurisdiction of the Sphere of Technology?"

"In case you haven't noticed Aruk," Nox replied evenly, "The seat of the Sphere of Technology is still vacant after Hadra's death on Corellia. The Imperial Reclamation Service would normally hand the ship and its cargo off to the Councilor of Technology after processing, but since that Sphere of Influence is currently leaderless, the IRS has the most jurisdiction until we elect a new Councilor for that Sphere."

"Which brings us to our next issue for consideration," Darth Marr spoke up, "Our numbers have been severely decreased. Five seats stand vacant today, their Spheres of Influence largely leaderless. We must elect new candidates to serve on the Dark Council if we hope to regain the stability we have lost."

"And what of the Dread Masters?" Aruk pressed. "Stability or not they may well have the power to tear the Empire to shreds if we allow them to consolidate their power unabated."

"We do not know they have betrayed us yet, acting now would be rash and reckless." Marr nearly snarled. "We will remain on high alert for any movement and new information on that front and discuss any findings we have at the next meeting." Heads nodded in agreement around the room and Aruk settled back into his chair, seething.

"I have an ideal candidate to succeed Hadra." Marr continued his line of discussion, "the Falleen, Darth Karrid."

Rictus snorted. "You can't be serious Marr." he said dismissively. "She's an alien. We just got over dealing with Malgus and his mongrel hordes, and we already have our token outsider." He said, gesturing towards Nox. Nox could barely suppress the indignant rage that welled up in him.

"Marr is right." Vowrawn said in his usual, measured tone. "I've read the accounts of Karrid's victories and I see real potential."

"As do I." Nox concurred.

"A potential ally you mean." Aruk sneered at Nox.

"Enough!" Marr said firmly.

"I agree," Mortis said, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room. "I've heard enough about this Karrid, especially when there's a far better candidate right under our noses." Everyone continued to stare at him.

"And who would that be?" Marr asked with a note of exasperation.

"Gravus."

"You aren't serious I hope." Nox replied.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Mortis responded, a cold anger entering his voice.

"I've met Gravus." Nox said. "He's politically astute and an intelligent commander, but that's all he is. I'd hesitate to even call him Sith."

"You're one to talk!" snarled Aruk, leaning all the way forward in his seat.

"Aruk," Marr said with an eerie calm, "you would do well to remember we are discussing future candidates for the Dark Council, not past ones."

"Now, now." Vowrawn interjected when Aruk's grip on the armrests of his throne tightened, "There's no need for this to devolve into violence," a twinkle appeared in his eye, "yet."

"You aren't helping." Marr said, sounding frustrated.

"Patience." Rictus said in an uncharacteristic display of rationality. "We cannot allow our differences to impede progress."

"Agreed." Marr said, sounding somewhat relieved. "I hereby nominate Darth Karrid for the position of Head of the Sphere of Technology."

"Seconded." Nox added.

"I support the nomination." Rictus said, causing many of the members of the Dark Council to turn their heads towards him surprise. Nox was as shocked as anyone. Rictus wasn't known for his fondness of alien species, or for any of the Council members supporting Karrid. Which made his choice to side against the interests of his usual allies all the more strange.

"I hereby nominate Darth Gravus for the position." Mortis countered.

"I support the nomination." Came Aruk's response.

"I as well." Ravage agreed.

All eyes turned to Vowrawn, who's steepled fingers didn't distract Nox from the distinct, mischievous twinkle in the Pureblood's eye.

"I can support Gravus's nomination to the Council." Vowrawn offered diplomatically. "But his greatest success was the recent rout of the Republic on Taris, all his previous victories are rather small, and his recent failure to defend the Leritor system is simply unacceptable."

"So what do you suggest?" Ravage asked.

"That we wait and see what unfolds. If Gravus regroups and reclaims Leritor, proving himself worthy of the Council, then we will elect him. If he fails..."

"Darth Karrid will be our choice." Nox finished the thought, hiding his relief behind a Force shroud and emotional barriers as effectively as his ghoulish mask hid his face. "What about the Sphere of Military Offense?"

"If I may," Vowrawn butted in, "There is a very promising candidate in that sphere by the name of Darth Arkous. He was the favorite to succeed Baras but Arho outdid him."

"What makes this Arkous worthy?" Rictus asked.

"Well for one thing he shares my complexion," Vowrawn said with a confidence born of stacking the deck in his favor, "and in addition to great power in the Force he is no stranger to inflicting defeat upon the Republic. He commanded the Fourth Fleet at the Battle of Soricys, and lead the charge in the Battle of Talinor Six. Both were very successful campaigns that utilized fear, manipulation, and surgical strikes in combination with well-coordinated and executed battle plans."

"I know Arkous well." Aruk said with undisguised satisfaction. "He will be a fine addition to the Dark Council."

"I may not know much about the man but his track record speaks for itself." Ravage agreed. "Soricys and Talinor weren't his only successful campaigns, just his most noticeable."

"Then I hereby nominate Darth Arkous as Head of the Sphere of Military Offense." Vowrawn stated. Aruk spoke before anyone else could;

"Seconded."

"I support the nomination." said Ravage.

"As do I." said Rictus.

"And I" Mortis chimed in, with Nox nodding his reluctant assent as well.

"Then it is finished." Marr said, signaling the passing of the nomination.

"The Spheres of Biotic Science, Military Strategy, and Imperial Intelligence still need to be filled." Nox pointed out.

"The Sphere of Military Strategy is easy enough." Marr replied. "Darth Charnus will replace his former master, Decimas. Any objections?" Heads shook in response. "Then Darth Charnus is the new head of the Sphere of Military Strategy."

"I think Darth Nalik would be an excellent successor for Acheron." Ravage supplied, "seeing as our former colleague lost all his apprentices along with his life." There were nods of agreement around the room. Only Aruk seemed averse to the nomination, but he, for once, kept his reservations to himself and gave his reluctant assent.

"Then Darth Nalik will take the seat of Biotic Science." Marr said, affirming the decision.

"And what of the Sphere of Imperial Intelligence?" Nox requested.

"At the moment, that Sphere no longer exists." Marr responded. "With Darth Zhorrid dead and Imperial Intelligence itself dissolved soon after, the remaining assets have been temporarily assigned to various aspects of the Imperial military. We will need to rebuild it at some point, but for now the Sphere is of more use to us reinforcing our martial resources."

"Then the reformation of the Sphere will be top priority at the next Council meeting." Nox replied.

"Yes." Marr affirmed.

"With that settled," Mortis suggested, "perhaps we should turn to the matter of nominations for Darth for the next meeting. My apprentice, Lord Zavrasha, has earned the title I believe."

"Indeed." Vowrawn said with a familiar twinkle in his eye. "Her sensibilities have become quite enjoyable for those under her." Mortis glared at him.

"I see no issue with that." Marr replied, and a nodding of heads around the room indicated that no one was opposed to the promotion of Mortis's apprentice.

"I'd like to recommend Lord Willsaam and Lord Gravuk." Came Aruk's voice out of the silence.

"Isn't Lord Willsaam technically not within your sphere?" Ravage asked out of curiosity.

"Her master, the Emperor's Wrath, has discussed her place in the Empire with me." Aruk said, somewhat haughtily. "He has deemed me to be the only one fit to oversee her."

"Madness to madness." Nox muttered the old Sith proverb under his breath, loud enough for Marr and Ravage to hear, but no one else.

"Very well." Mortis said solemnly. "Does anyone object to the promotions of Lord Willsaam and Lord Gravuk?" Silence. "Then they will be added to the agenda for our next meeting." Mortis concluded.

"Not Lord Willsaam." Aruk interrupted. "The Wrath specifically stated that he will be granting the promotion himself."

"One less thing for us to deal with." Marr answered. "Let it be done then."

"Is there any other business yet to be addressed?" Mortis asked.

"We still have our first topic of discussion on the table," Marr reminded him, "what strategy to adopt for the next stage of the war."

"I'm not sure what discussion needs to be had," Mortis insisted. "If we do not defend ourselves the war is over!"

"And yet if we simply defend and do not attack we will lose resources far faster than the Republic, and the war will, in all likelihood end with our defeat." Vowrawn countered. Nox rose from his chair and descended from the dais to the middle of the room. All eyes turned to watch him as he took center stage, some in interest, some in hatred, some even in amusement.

"Members of the Dark Council." Nox began. "At the beginning of this meeting we coronated a new king of Alderaan."

"Great, more grandstanding." Aruk whispered to himself, with only Rictus and Vowrawn able to hear him.

"In this, we now have a great opportunity," Nox said, clenching his fist for emphasis, "if we have the ambition to seize it! It will not be long before the Republic moves on Alderaan. We must act now and claim this advantage while we still have it. With the annexation of Alderaan we are now in possession of many hyperspace routes that lead directly to the heart of our enemy. If we act now, we can turn Alderaan into a staging point for full-on invasion of the Core, and..." he paused, "the completion of what the Sacking of Coruscant began all those decades ago." He paused to allow anyone who wished to speak the opportunity to do so. When he realized that he had the rapt attention of everyone in the room, he continued.

"With Alderaan and its hyperspace routes under our control, we have a chance to deal a death blow to the Republic, and spell out their doom for all the galaxy to see. We can launch direct attacks on Coruscant and Tython while the Republic scrambles to gather its forces, we can cut the heads off of these snakes and possibly even end the war here and now!" The door of the chamber opened, and all eyes went to the entrance, some startled, some curious. There, striding in through the open doorway, was seven feet of muscle, armor, and force power: The Emperor's Wrath.

"Lord Demise." Nox said, bowing his head in a gesture of respect.

"Darth Nox." Demise replied in acknowledgement. "Members of the Dark Council. I have come in support of Darth Nox's plans to take action against our enemy: the hated Republic." Looks of surprise showed on every visible face. "Too long has the Empire been held back by petty infighting and division. I have come here today to call upon the Dark Council to take hold of this opportunity to strike an incredible blow to our common enemy, providing new opportunities for conquest, resources, and the expansion of our influence."

"As Lord Demise so eloquently said," Nox continued, "This is a great opportunity for all of us."

"I'm beginning to wonder just what you have in mind, Darth Nox." Marr spoke up from his seat.

"Just this: "Nox said, smiling behind his helm, "I propose the execution of a plan I have been crafting since I took my place on this Council many months ago. Plan designate: Omega. Plan Omega involves a coordinated attack on both Coruscant and Tython." Ravage leaned forward in his seat, crossing one leg horizontally over the other and resting his elbow on it as he paid close attention to Nox's words. Mortis was leaning forward slightly in his seat in interest, and Marr and Vowrawn were both relaxing in their own seats, Vowrawn with his hands steepled in front of his face and a wicked smile in his eyes.

"These coordinated attacks," Nox continued, "are largely to serve as elaborate distractions, complementary to the plan's true purpose," He paused. "the assassinations of the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic and the Supreme Commander of the Republic's armed forces." Dead silence. Nox allowed it to stretch to just short of an uncomfortable length of time, but just as he was about to continue speaking, Marr spoke up.

"This plan is...bold, to say the least." He said in a slightly awed tone. "What information do you have regarding the republic's defenses? Their emergency protocols? Their contingencies?"

"All right here." Nox assured him, detaching a small holoprojector from his utility belt and tossing the device so that it hovered above the floor while going through a slide show of data and intel on all the various aspects of the plan. "Normally I would be content to carry out this plan myself and take all the credit, but the sheer scope of the plan requires far more resources and sources of expertise than I have at my disposal. Thus I bring this to you, my fellow councilors, and ask for your cooperation in orchestrating the downfall of the Republic."

"This plan is audacious but hardly a death knell for the Republic." Ravage cut in. "I think you are overstating the case."

"Ahh but you see, the attacks and assassinations are only phase one."

"Phase One?" Vowrawn asked, a youthful eagerness in his voice.

"The second phase involves a barrage of invasions of various other planets throughout Republic space, immediately following the attacks and successful assassinations."

"Why attack Tython too?" Mortis asked. "Isn't Coruscant good enough to serve our purposes?"

"I thought so at first." Nox said, nodding sagely. "But then I realized that if the Jedi are simply left to their own devices, they will reinforce the forces on Coruscant by surrounding the planet and trapping our forces between two fronts. Thus the attack on Tython to draw the main force of Jedi away from Coruscant so that they cannot interfere with our assassination attempts or turn the tide of the battle before we are ready and able to retreat."

"Divide and conquer." Marr mused absentmindedly.

"Precisely." Nox amended. "With the follow-up invasions, the Republic will be leaderless in nearly every capacity and the Jedi will be stretched thin, trying to keep both the Republic and their order from falling apart."

"What about the Jedi Council?" Rictus inquired. "Aren't we just creating a way for them to take over the Republic?"

"The Republic being run by the Jedi will only make our enemy more dangerous!" Aruk hissed at Nox. "You're trying to undermine us!"

"You know as well as I do how principled the Jedi are." Marr responded in Nox's place. "They may institute temporary leadership in a time of crisis such as the one this plan will create, but we will have the initiative, and even after they assume control they will still be stretched too thin trying to protect the innocent beings of the worlds we enslave to even think about launching an assault on our most vulnerable sectors."

"Marr is correct." Vowrawn chimed in. "We are dealing with an enemy which has extraordinary weaknesses. This plan takes full advantage of them to give us what we need while protecting and concealing our own weaknesses."

Rictus looked convinced, but Aruk's body language said he was still desperately clinging to his prejudices. Unfortunately, he had no support on which to stand, so even he conceded the point. Nox called the projector back to his hand and switched it off, returning it to his belt.

"I will be sending you all detailed copies of the plan in its entirety. The role of every Dark Council member is explicitly outlined within. Darth Marr and I will be commanding the assault on Tython, provided he has no objections. Darth Aruk and Darth Ravage will be commanding the fleet battle above Coruscant, again, provided they have no objections, and Lord Demise will be commanding the ground forces alongside Darth Mortis on the planet. Darth Vowrawn will be seeing to all the preparations for the subsequent invasions following the attacks, as well as coordinating efforts and resources in preparation for the attacks themselves. During the battles we will be holding some resources and troops in reserve in case backup is needed. The total sums of ships, troops, and resources required are listed as well, divided as evenly as possible. The remainder of our combined resources will, of course, be protecting the rest of the Empire while we cut out the Republic's heart." He looked around at the faces of his fellow council members. "I suggest we adjourn for a few hours to review the plan and consider our options before we take the vote." He suggested. "Some time to evaluate the plan with a more critical eye is a welcome prospect I'm sure."

"Agreed." Marr said. "we'll meet back here in three hours, then we will vote on the fate of the Republic."

* * *

The members of the Dark Council filed out into the hallway after the vote on the enacting of Plan Omega. The vote had passed, much to Nox's pleasure, and the council members were even now departing to galvanize their various power bases to begin preparations for the assault, which was scheduled to begin in a standard week. Nox approached Marr as they neared the elevator and asked:

"How did she take it?"

"Who?"

"Karrid, who else?"

"I informed her of the situation." Marr said in what amounted to a hushed tone. "She took it better than expected."

"Do you think she has a plan?" Nox asked when the possibility suddenly crossed his mind.

"It would not surprise me." Marr conceded. "Let us hope that it is as well-thought out as yours."

"Speaking of well thought-out plans..." Vowrawn's voice cut in. The two Dark Lords turned to acknowledge the other Dark Councilor as he approached them. "This delightful scheme of yours is absolutely brazen, Darth Nox." The tall, lanky pureblood complimented him. "I'm surprised I didn't come up with it myself."

"It wouldn't be possible without Darth Imperious winning the war for Alderaan." Nox pointed out.

"Yes, and I'm sure that wouldn't have been possible without certain...shadowy benefactors." Vowrawn rebutted with a twinkle in his eye. Behind his helm, Nox's eyes narrowed. Just how much does he know?

"The boldness of the plan is its strength." Marr said with conviction. "We've been on the defensive for so long, and been so severely weakened by infighting and betrayal that the Republic will not be expecting such an aggressive maneuver from us. They will be caught off-guard by an opponent they believed was defeated."

"Indeed." Vowrawn complied. "Let us hope that the element of surprise will be enough to help disguise our true goal until it is too late. With chaos that the deaths of their leaders will sow in the ranks, we rely on them being too busy scrambling to defend themselves to notice our weaknesses elsewhere. If they do, this plan could easily backfire."

"I agree Vowrawn." Nox said, causing both of the other Sith to look directly at him in mild surprise. "Which is why I entrusted you with staying behind to ensure the safety of Alderaan and keep in touch with High Command to keep us informed of the state of skeleton defense of the Empire."

"The Republic might take notice of the mass retreats of our forces across the galaxy and divine it as a prelude to something bigger." Marr pointed out. "What if they are prepared for us?"

"They won't be." Nox assured him. "We're already in retreat from many sectors, unfortunately. I took that into account when I started conducting this plan. I believe that the massive withdrawal of our forces will be seen only as self-preservation, the actions of the desperate. With this plan we will feed their delusions of superiority so that they will not see this coming until it is too late."

"What about communications from Alderaan?" Marr inquired further. "Don't you think the conquest of the planet has already been leaked to the Republic?"

"Imperious's elite commando squads disabled communications for the entire planet right before he sprung his trap, when House Thul appeared to be in full retreat. All the Republic knows is that House Organa and her allies were winning the war when a communications blackout occurred. Thul now has total control over the communications systems and are faking the blackout to use as a smokescreen to conceal our impending attack." An evil grin split Vowrawn's face.

"I do so _love_ blindsiding opponents!"

"It is such an exquisite pleasure isn't it?" Nox replied with an equally delighted expression spreading across his own hidden visage.

"Indeed!" Vowrawn said, rubbing his hands together in eager anticipation, "Well I'd best be off, these preparations aren't going to make themselves!" and with that, he turned and headed down the hall, turning the corner towards the elevator.

"Are you sure about this Nox?" Marr asked, genuine concern creeping into his voice. "Do you at least have a contingency plan in case this plan backfires?"

"Yes. There is a reason I did not involve _The Ascendant Spear_ and my ships equipped with Silencers in these attacks." Nox replied.

Marr nodded. "I wondered about that. The plan made no mention of them."

"I've stationed each Silencer ship at key Imperial strongholds that must not fall." Nox stated, "And Darth Karrid will be more than willing to defend the Empire with _The Spear_ should the Republic be so bold and well-organized as to counter-attack. With its highly advanced weaponry and unmatched speed, _The Spear_ will be more than capable of defending multiple positions within short periods of time."

"The need for your ships to defend key strongholds was why you required the Council's help in executing this." Marr said in realization. "Thanks to the Silencers, your ships are powerful but you don't enough of them to take on Coruscant's and Tython's defenses by yourself."

"Exactly." Nox affirmed. "But they will serve perfectly fine in defending key strongholds against small Republic fleets with minimal support."

"Why have the Council members lead the attacks?" Marr asked. "I'm surprised no one accused you of setting us up."

Nox chuckled. "Possibly because I myself will be fighting the battle as well. I wouldn't be very intelligent if I set myself up to take the fall with the rest of you." He paused to consider the matter a moment, then spoke again. "But to reassure you, my intentions regarding having the Dark Council lead the attacks is simply because the Empire cannot afford to have this plan fail. We need the very best leading the charge to avoid incompetence and mistakes." Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Marr nodded.

"Understandable considering the recent events, although some might point to Corellia as an example of what happens when too many members of the Dark Council gather in one place."

"If you want my opinion, that was simply a tactical mistake." Nox replied with fervor. "We could afford to lose Corellia. There was no need to have so many members of the Dark Council present on-world." He paused. "This, however, is a gamble we can't afford to lose. Whether the Dark Council is wiped out or not, if we lose this battle, we lose the war." The two Sith stood in silence for a moment, letting the weight of the realization settle on them. The gravity of the actions they were about to take was suddenly very real. After a long moment, Marr reached out and placed a gloved hand on Nox's armoured shoulder.

"May the Dark Side ever serve you, Darth Nox."

"And you as well, Darth Marr."

* * *

Xalek descended the boarding ramp of his ship, feeling the hot, foul-smelling atmosphere of Vlestakk sting his lungs and throat. The lack of oxygen in the nitrogen and xenon-rich atmosphere was unhealthy for most humanoids, but not fatal, merely painful, and he could use the Force to counteract the most harmful effects for long enough to leave the planet without permanent damage. Looking out over the plain in which he had landed, Xalek took in the alien landscape. A carpet of blue, grass-like plants covered the ground for as far as the eye could see. In the green sky, the system's three suns illuminated the foreign landscape in vibrant color. At various points, tall, thin, tree-like plants sprouted from among the grass, their red stems contrasting sharply with the vibrant ocean blue of their own leaves and the grass from which they sprang. Far off to the west, Xalek could see a mountain range that stretched for hundreds of miles, only to seemingly vanish over the horizon. To the east, north, and south, the plain seemed to go on forever, but Xalek knew from the planetary survey carried out by the Expeditionary Fleet that this was merely an expansive flatland, and that a large body of liquid lay to the east.

He knelt on the ground and summoned the Force to do his bidding. He stretched his awareness out across the planet, invisible tendrils of thought covering miles in mere moments. He could definitely feel something, a kind of intuitive sensation of distant disturbance, like feeling the beating of drums long before you heard them, soft waves of dark power emanating from a source far distant. The radiation of the system's three stars, while not toxic, played havoc with ship sensors and navigation computers, it had been hard enough getting the ship through entry into the atmosphere, so Xalek wasn't eager to risk a crash by tracking down the relic in his ship, despite the vast distance. After a moment of consideration, he decided on what to do.

Positioning himself so that he faced away from the setting suns, Xalek stared into the distance, assuming a running stance, furrowing his brow, and narrowing his eyes as he summoned the power of the Dark Side. He felt the energy crackling through his limbs and his predatory instincts rising to the surface. Every muscle in his body coiled, then released. He flew across the plain like a thunderbolt, moving so fast he appeared as a blur to everything but the wind. The featureless landscape whizzed past him as if he were a ship in hyperspace. He saw the daylight begin to slowly fade as he crossed into the next time zone, and though he felt his energy reserves dropping, he ran on. In a flash he reached a vast expanse of black, oily-looking liquid, and continued at his current pace without stopping. The pain in his lungs from breathing the alien atmosphere drove him on, and his feet carried him across the strange ocean, never breaking the surface tension.

As he ran, he saw a dot appear on the horizon, directly in front of him. As he got closer, he saw it change from a dot to a group of shapes, then from a group of shapes to a herd of large animals. His enhanced vision allowed him to see them despite the vast distance between them that was rapidly closing, and he was able to analyze them briefly. The creatures were large mammals with round, wide bodies, flat heads, and three, long, thick tentacles sprouting around the openings in their faces that were most likely their mouths. The tentacles hung down almost to the surface of the sea, and seemed almost as long as the legs of the strange creatures, which were thicker than the tentacles but still seemed thin due to the bulk of the animal's bodies and the length of the limbs compared to their circumference. The beasts plodded along the surface of the viscous ocean on incredibly large, flat, circular feet that evenly distributed their weight to allow them to traverse the body of liquid as if it were solid ground. The sight was awe-inspiring, even to a born and bred predator like Xalek, who would have preferred to taste their flesh rather than admire their design, but he took only a moment to ponder them as he raced through the herd, stirring haunting moans of panic and surprise from the creatures that were snatched away from his ears by the wind.

After a few minutes more of running, Xalek felt a subtle disturbance in the Force. It seemed far away, but was drawing closer with each passing second. It wasn't the artifact, he was certain, as the disturbance wasn't aligned to either the light nor the dark. It grew stronger as he raced across the black sea, until suddenly, like a symphonic transition, it spiked. Xalek slipped to the side without breaking stride as a large, hideous, eyeless mouth full of impossibly sharp fangs emerged from the oily mire, huge jaws agape to swallow him whole. The creature missed completely, but Xalek wasn't even concerned with it anymore as the flat surface of the sea suddenly became a minefield of identical, monstrous black serpents. They sprung from beneath the surface in and around his path, all trying to swallow the Kaleesh whole. With each failed attempt their long, thick, scaly black bodies would follow the arc of their heads until the tail emerged and then vanished, but Xalek hardly cared as all his attention was focused on dodging this miles-long trap these creatures had obviously laid to catch prey, such as the strange herd of sea walkers he'd encountered not minutes before.

Xalek was so busy dodging left and right that he almost didn't see the creature that sprung from the muck right in front of him, the black, stinking void of its mouth opened wide enough to swallow a fully grown Syrox. Xalek leaped up into the air, the monsters jaws snapping closed around the thin air where he had been moments before. His Force leap propelled him along the length of the serpentine body and past where it was still emerging from the tar of the alien ocean. Using the Force, Xalek slowed his descent enough to avoid breaking the surface upon impact, and hit the sea running. No more serpents emerged to attack him, and he realized that he had escaped their trap, but there was one problem; he was growing tired. His legs were becoming sore and numb, and his energy reserves were dangerously low, cropped up only by the power of the Dark Side. If he didn't find land soon he would be in serious trouble.

Digging deep down into himself, he dredged up painful and violent memories to strengthen his anger and hatred and renew his resolve. He felt his stamina rise and the numbness in his limbs fade, but only partially, he had delayed the crisis not averted it. As the tension in his muscles began to mount, he saw land emerge on the horizon. His body burned with pain, and he fed on his agony to increase his speed. The land rushed closer and closer and closer until it filled his view and, suddenly, his feet touched solid ground.

Skidding to a momentum-defying stop on the rust-colored sand, Xalek knelt down and entered a deep meditation trance. He channeled the powers of corruption to repair his physical body while the Dark Side restored his strength. He felt his aching muscles heal quickly, but the drain on his power that the journey had inflicted was not so easily recovered from. He spent a good ten standard minutes calling on the Dark Side, channeling it through him and renewing his power. When he finally felt whole again, he rose to his feet and examined the area.

He was standing on a beach which gave way to blue grass a few meters away. Beyond the end of the sand were pleasant, rolling hills, a small lake, and a thick jungle of red-trunked, azure-leafed "trees". Behind the jungle, a solemn mountain range loomed. Reaching out with his senses, Xalek could feel a deep resonance in the fabric of the Dark Side, like waves emanating from a source. It was coming from the jungle's heart, booming like the war drum of a warrior's heartbeat. With his sense of direction now more acutely focused on the location of his target, he set off at a full sprint for the jungle.

* * *

Nox was leaning back in his chair, typing orders into his datapad when Ashara came storming down the hall and entered his office abruptly.

"I don't believe them! The nerve!"

Smiling behind his helm, Nox looked up and pretended to sound marginally surprised: "What? What is it?"

"Darth Salrivek blocked my team that I dispatched to Vemrianna, he said my privileges are suspended pending an investigation by the Ministry!"

"Well," Nox said, disguising his self-satisfaction behind a veil of false sympathy, "that's quite the statement."

"They're deliberately sabotaging us!" Ashara raged. "They must have some idea of what's going on, no one could be this racist!"

Nox didn't even attempt to hide his amusement at the remark. "Because we all know the Empire is a pillar of acceptance and tolerance." He added glibly. His gleefully sarcastic remark seemed to go unnoticed, however.

"If they know what's going on, then we have to deal with them!" Ashara said, the fires of her passion as sweet as incense in Nox's proverbial nostrils.

"Now, now." He said authoritatively. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves _talreh_."

At the sound of the word Ashara seemed to calm down somewhat. "You can't deny this is unfair." She challenged him, "this is just unprecedented!"

"Of course it is." Nox assured her. "Aruk is pulling out all the stops to keep us in line, he'll take advantage of every opportunity we give him to discredit and weaken us."

"It's just frustrating," Ashara complained, seating herself on the edge of his desk. "I feel so helpless."

"I know." Nox said in a seductive tone. "But this is a perfect opportunity to put your knowledge to good use."

Ashara looked at him askance. "What do you mean?"

"It's time you demonstrated your ability to practice deceit and apply violence in appropriate measure." Nox said, reaching out with the Force to subtly influence her emotions through his innate Force presence, bypassing her ability to detect mental manipulation. "In the depths of the Citadel is the Archive of the Ministry of Sith Philosophy." He continued, "if you get the access codes from an archivist, you can access the archives. From there, slice into the ministry database and delete registration forms CX9 through to 17 along with Dispatch and Assignment order 10K58G39 and the attached Use of force Authorization. Aruk and Salrivek will have no legal jurisdiction over you until they realize the files are missing. If you cover your tracks well enough, they won't ever be able to bring any accusations against you."

Ashara looked a little stunned for a moment, then asked: "Where did you get all this information?" Nox smiled.

"We have eyes and ears everywhere my dear, you know what I always say about friends and enemies." A pleased and eager smile was spreading across Ashara's smooth, brightly colored face.

"You never cease to amaze my lord."

"Neither do you." Nox replied suggestively. "Now you should hurry, Aruk is offworld, but Salrivek is in a meeting with several other Darths and Lords. It would be best to strike while you can be certain he is occupied."

"I could kiss you right now." Ashara said gleefully.

"Save it for later," Nox said cheekily, "We can celebrate after your diplomatic team gets off-planet."

"I like the sound of that." Ashara replied sweetly as she reluctantly slid off the desk. "I'll be back soon, _gilrah._ " She turned, walked out of the office, and down the hall.

Nox watched her go until she turned the corner, then turned towards the holoprojector in the corner of the room. Getting up from behind his desk he walked over to it and switched it on, and the image of Darth Nalik appeared before him. The young man looked anything but youthful. The Dark Side and his many scientific experiments on himself had shriveled and warped his body until he looked almost as ugly as some of the less human-looking aliens.

"Darth Nox." Nalik said, an almost imperceptible undertone of seething hatred and menace entering his hollow voice. "What is it you want?"

"The apprentice," Nox said, wasting no time with cordiality. "What is your report?"

"He is developing quickly." Darth Nalik said, "just as you predicated."

"And his talent matches my specifications?" Nox asked in an exacting tone.

"Your extrapolations were uncannily precise." The Sith admitted. "I admit he is a promising candidate, your assistance in bringing him to me is...appreciated."

"I hope that appreciation will not fade with time." Nox said menacingly. "You owe me for this Nalik."

"That was the understanding." Nalik admitted. "Although I am curious as to why you did not seek to take him on yourself."

"I already have an apprentice to train," Nox said "and I prefer to have as few distractions as possible. In our line of work we cannot afford to split our attention too many ways, can we?"

"Are you threatening me?" Nalik asked, his growl barely contained.

"Advising." Nox corrected.

"Your _advice_ is not necessary." Nalik said gruffly.

"True," Nox admitted. "I simply thought you might wish to keep your position, and your head." Nalik snarled.

"I owe you for bringing Nemin to me, but after that, we're through!" and the signal abruptly cut out.

* * *

Xalek made his way through the alien jungle, tracking the source of the dark energy radiating through the Force, relying on his physical senses to keep him alert to his surroundings. He could detect the presence of several predatory organisms stalking him, but they made no move to attack, nor did they reveal themselves, so Xalek simply monitored their movements with his olfactory and auditory senses and continued to draw closer to the source of the disturbance in the Dark Side.

Suddenly a strong odor, even more foul than the latent toxicity of Vlestak's atmosphere, permeated his nostrils. He immediately became lightheaded, and in response he called upon the training his master had given him on how to purge poisons and toxins from his body. He held his breath as the fog in his brain faded, his stalkers however, weren't so lucky. With several loud thumps, the small group of Akk dog-sized predators dropped from their perches in the trees and hit the ground. Xalek's hand drifted towards his lightsaber as he scanned the surroundings through the vibrating air. He was so busy looking for sharp, fast movements in the underbrush that he didn't notice the strange aliens with tiny, snail-like bodies, thin heads with eyes mounted on stalks, short, thin arms that ended in large, four-fingered hands, and with large, inflated glands on their backs, descending from the upper canopy.

Xalek whirled around to see the four creatures descending on their unconscious prey and removed his lightsaber from his belt, but did not activate it. If these creatures were responsible for the knockout gas, they might have more on them that they could use against him, so fighting them should be a last resort. The creatures seemingly took no notice of him, and they descended on the fallen animals and began to choose which ones they would take. The air was filled with vibrant and foreign smells that quickly nullified the threat of the knockout gas, and Xalek realized that these beings communicated through generating and releasing different combinations of gases, that was probably how they produced the knockout gas as well, making them a deadly enemy to almost any life form on their world.. Examining them closer, he could now see the tubules on the rear of their balloon glands that no doubt gave them propulsion and allowed them to manage their ballast, as well as communicate with each other. The "conversation" appeared to be over, as the four aliens had chosen their prey and were carrying off two of the sleeping creatures by their limbs. Xalek waited until they had gone on ahead of him a ways and then cloaked himself in the Force. He no longer needed to focus on tracking the artifact as he was close enough now that he could perceive its effects without concentrating, and the aliens were heading towards the artifact anyway.

After only a few minutes of stalking the alien floaters, Xalek sensed a great many more of the odd creatures up ahead and above. He looked up and could see that many of the thick-trunked tree-like plants that composed the jungle had been carved out to create multi-level dwellings for the planet's native sentients. Xalek wandered under the village as he watched for anything out of the ordinary, anything that might give him some hint of the artifact's location. He could feel the item's power permeating this place, but he could not sense it's exact location. He suddenly got the sense that he was being watched and, concerned that he might have underestimated the olfactory senses of the natives, he frantically scanned his surroundings until his eyes settled on the small Floater hovering only two meters away. This specimen was smaller than the others Xalek had followed, likely an adolescent, and it seemed to be staring right at him with its black, soulless eyes. A faint scent wafted over Xalek and he recognized it as being similar to the Kaleesh pheromones released by a member of the species when they were possessed of an intense curiosity or interest.

Deciding to test whether the creature could actually perceive him, Xalek took a step to the right, the creature's eyes followed him. He stepped to the left, and again the Floater's oculi tracked his movements. Struck by paranoia, Xalek was seized by an almost insuppressible urge to kill the creature, but he quickly thought the better of it. If the others had truly detected his presence below the village and they were the kind of sentients to attack without provocation, then they would have used their knockout gas on him already. They either didn't know he was here, or they didn't care. Comforted by this, Xalek turned away from the young Floater and resumed his search of the ground surrounding the village, after some time he noticed that the little creature was still following him, watching his every move with such naive curiosity that it made Xalek's stomach churn.

After some more time spent searching the area, Xalek was about ready to give up when a smell similar to the Kaleesh pheromone for attracting attention reached his nostrils. He turned towards the little sprite still following him and saw it turn and head part way towards the center of the village before turning back to him, the universal body language for: "Follow me!" Xalek obliged, but only because he suspected that the creature might have realized he was looking for something and put two and two together. They arrived at the base of the thickest tree in the village, and into its red trunk was carved an entrance surrounded by rune carvings in a language wholly separate from Galactic Basic or any derivative of it. The creature paused beside the doorway and looked back at him, as if waiting for him to go first. "Of course you would send the stranger in first." Xalek murmured as he took over the lead and the Floater followed him into the darkness.

Discovering a flight of steps descending into the ground, Xalek took the steps cautiously, expanding his awareness through the Force to keep from being ambushed or springing an ancient trap. He reached the bottom without incident however, and was surprised to find himself in a spacious cavern that had been obviously created by the Rakata. Their stonework and statues decorated the space, which was dominated at its center by a pedestal upon which sat a smooth, semi-opaque sphere that glowed a deep crimson. Somewhat mesmerized by the sight and sensation of the object, Xalek approached without bothering to search the Force for signs of traps or guardians. It seemed his recklessness was to remain unpunished however, as he reached the orb without any incident. The swirling red of the orb, melted and mixed with black shadows moved in hypnotic, seductive patterns. Xalek extended a hand towards the orb, as if in a daze, and the moment his claws touched its surface, he lost all consciousness.

Dark.

So dark...and cold.

Something moved within the void, a shadow among shadows. Xalek looked but all he saw was black, then he saw it suddenly, without warning, and a chill went straight through him to his bones. It was a familiar shadow; his master. He felt like he was about to die, that hollow gaze would kill him. With a horrifying sound halfway between a screech and a roar, the shadow coalesced into a floating mass of darkness and flew away. Hardly knowing why, Xalek pursued. He found himself in a cave tunnel and despite not being able to see the shadow he could sense it and track it that way. Without warning, he burst out onto a cliff overlooking a vast plain and a distant sunset. Approaching the edge of the cliff he looked out at the setting sun, wondering what lay beyond the horizon.

"Beautiful, isn't it son?" He heard a very familiar voice say behind him, he whirled around.

"Father!" He exclaimed when he saw the image of the great warrior who had birthed him. He dropped to one knee, as he would before his master. "Father, I knew building your shrine was not in vain, you have become a god!" His father walked forward wordlessly to stand beside him.

"Rise, son." He said simply. "Look upon the end." Xalek rose to his feet and turned, walking towards the very edge of the cliff to look down. A great battle was being waged below him, but the combatants seemed to be frozen in time. There were the forces of the Empire and the Republic, locked in mortal combat as they had been for millennia past. Jedi and Sith, battling for supremacy. But something was different, there were strange, unfamiliar combatants mingled in with the opposing forces. Some were dressed in armor and robes of varying shades of red and silver, with lightsabers of yellow, pink, and purple, while the other combatants...Xalek froze as a wave of pure fear and foreboding seized his entire body. The other combatants, whether they wielded lightsabers, vibroknives, blasters, or vibroblades, all wore helms identical to his master's. His dread became abject terror as the head of every one of the skull-faced fighters turned to stare directly at him with their cold, black, empty eye sockets.

Xalek tried to move, but his body refused to obey him. Suddenly, his abdomen was pierced, and he looked down to see the blade of a purple lightsaber protruding from his stomach as he felt the familiar presence of his father change to become his master's. He felt an invisible hand press against his shoulder blades as the blade impaling him deactivated, and his limp body toppled over the edge of the cliff. He plummeted towards the ground, and he closed his eyes, praying that he had done enough to become a god. As he plummeted, he wondered who would build his shrine, who was left to do so? Who knew?

Realizing he should have struck the ground by now, he opened his eyes to see an impossible sight; He was falling through deep space. He looked up to see the galaxy in all its brilliant splendor, shining like a jewel against the backdrop of the void. Then he saw a dark spot, growing and consuming the stars one by one. The light of the galaxy seemed to dim for a moment, then it flared brightly and the dark spot shrank back to its former size. The dark orb suddenly swelled again, in defiance of the light seeking to destroy it by sheer luminance. The light of the galaxy responded by shining all the brighter, and Xalek watched as the dark orb suddenly shot up out of the galaxy's disk and into the void above. The light was pure and bright again...then Xalek noticed the edges. The edges of the glowing disk were disappearing, being eaten away by the ravenous shadows of the void. Tendrils of impossibly dark blackness swallowed one point of light after another, inch by inch the void was consuming the galaxy, eating away at the fringes. The light seemed to dim as the void began to devour the inner disk, and Xalek watched in morbid fascination as it crushed the light into a pinpoint at the center, and there was nothing left of the galaxy but that single, pinprick of light.

Xalek stared at the light for what seemed like an eternity before he realized that it was getting bigger. It took a second for him to process what was happening but when he did, he realized that it was coming towards him. He tried to move, but found he couldn't, his body wasn't responding, as if it wasn't even there. The light grew bigger and brighter until it filled his vision...then quickly faded into darkness again. Alone in the empty black, Xalek floated, seemingly incapable of forming a complete thought no matter how much he tried. He tried to remember: Who am I? Where am I? How did I get here? What happened? What is this place? Am I alone? Am I all there is?

He saw a light appear in the distance, a bright, soft white light that beckoned and called to him. Without knowing how, he moved towards it, wondering what it was. Suddenly an incomprehensible mixture of horrifying sound, emotion, and sensation struck him all at once, and the light vanished to be replaced by a dark, infinite mass of bubbling, hideous flesh in which were growing thousands of profane eyes, tentacles, and mouths, all blasphemous to any form of sense or reality. In pure horror, Xalek turned and fled into the void to escape the abomination, trying to scream despite having no mouth to do it with. He fled for what was either hours or seconds when he saw the light again. He moved towards it as fast as he could, he had to reach the light, had to reach it before the thing found him again.

The light vanished and in incredible horror, Xalek once again faced the chaotic, grotesque tangle of prehensile appendages, monstrous oculi that saw in all dimensions, and blaspheming mouths that snarled and snapped and howled and cried and moaned. Once more Xalek turned and fled, but this time no matter how fast he tried to escape, the mass was there behind him, pursuing him without movement. He tried to scream as madness ate at his mind but nothing came. The roars of the monstrosity violated the very concepts of sound and telepathy, shaking him on all possible levels, seemingly swallowing his soul. He tried to go faster, but instead he felt the incomprehensible presence drawing closer. Madness entered him like water soaking through a leaf, and he felt all his senses abandon him. All he could perceive was the thing and its blasphemies against all that was sane and real.

He struggled to escape it but he could feel the pull of primal chaos drawing him back, the current of an invisible, insidious vortex in the fabric of the void that drew him back towards the atrocity. He dared not look back for fear of seeing it and being shattered to his soul by the knowledge of its existence. He continued to struggle, fighting the irresistible tide with everything he had. And it was then, that the thing fell on him.

Xalek knelt on a small hill near the lake he had encountered earlier before entering the jungle. The artifact was safely attached to his belt and thankfully dormant, the last thing he wanted now was receive another vision from the cursed thing. He closed his eyes and began to meditate, focusing on his emotions. His fear and hatred rose up within him, creating a bubbling well of dark energy that spread from his core to the ends of his claw tips. He dwelt on the meaning of the horrifying vision the dark artifact had granted him, trying to pierce the veil that the Force used to obscure such things from the eyes of the unworthy.

What did it all mean? His father becoming his master and killing him, the frozen battle with the beings that wore his master's helm, the galaxy consumed by darkness again and again, it didn't make any sense. He stopped himself and brought his attention back to the first part of the vision, the shadow in the void, the shadow that had taken the form of his master. An involuntary chill ran down his spine and his flesh became covered in goose bumps as he remembered. The hollow, soulless gaze of the dark entity had been like the gaze of death itself, it had afflicted him with the cold, empty chill of the abyss. Then it had lead him, somehow, out of the darkness and to the cliff over the sunset, where it had disappeared, only to be replaced by his father. Unsure of the meaning, Xalek pressed his memory further; His father had shown him the battle, frozen in time, between the Empire, Republic, and the beings in red, with the skull-faced legions working amongst the chaos. Until that terrible moment when, seemingly in defiance of the power that held them petrified, they had seen him, staring at him with the same hollow gaze as the shadow in the void.

Then his father had killed him, betrayed him, only it wasn't his father but his master. Perhaps it had been all along. But still, what did it mean? He searched for the answer in his emotions, breaking down every whim and passing sensation within the vision. Finally he reluctantly came to the answer, his master was plotting to betray him. Darth Nox, the man he considered a second father, was orchestrating his downfall. The significance of the mysterious army and the battle between light and darkness for the galaxy still escaped him, but he already knew what he needed to know; his master was no longer his benefactor.

Still, that meant he had to decide what to do, how to handle this. He searched for the answer within himself, opening himself to the Dark Side and letting his passions lead him, it wasn't long before he reached a conclusion. There was nothing he could do for the moment, he would have to watch and wait, scrutinizing and analyzing his opponent's moves in secret, while he showed nothing but deference and submission outwardly. But he would remain vigilant, always watching for signs and hints of betrayal, he would not be taken by surprise or caught off-guard.

Sensing something behind him, he rose to his feet and turned around to see the Floater that had lead him to the artifact; the curious creature had followed him all the way out of the jungle. They gazed at each other for a long moment while Xalek's thoughts raced through his head. If he was going to be ready for his master's betrayal one day, he needed to grow, not just in power, but as a Sith as well. He would need to not just be a great warrior, but a great thinker and strategist, he needed to truly master the Dark Side. It would be a daunting task, his master would not teach him, of that he was now certain, so he would need to learn such things on his own, through experience. It would not be simple, but he remembered something his father once told him: "Victory over a thousand foes begins with first blood."

If he was going to ascend beyond his master, he needed to begin his ascension now. He extended a single claw towards the alien, and reached out to briefly touch the Floater's mind, beckoning it closer. The creature approached, cautiously at first, but it soon was close enough that Xalek could reach out and touch its thin, elongated head with his extended claw. Upon contact he seized the Floater's mind and began to pour the knowledge of the Dark Side into it. He showed how rage and hatred bring power, how to weaponize passion, and how to bend the Force to one's own will. He watched the creature's innocence and naiveté melt away, to be replaced by toxic malice.

He released the Floater's mind and withdrew his claw from its forehead. The creature looked a bit dazed, but Xalek only spared it one last glance as he turned and gathered his energy, taking off at impossible speed and racing out over the black ocean. The alien watched him go, then turned and floated back towards the jungle, a yellow gleam in its formerly black eye.

* * *

"So...we are fully prepared then." Darth Marr said, glancing at the rest of the original seven members of the Dark Council.

"Yes." Darth Mortis said in response, and the other five nodded in agreement.

"Vwhat about usss?" Darth Karrid asked, her accent elongating the "s", making her sound as reptilian as she looked. "You ssstill haven't told usss vwhat exactly isss going on Marrrr." The way she naturally rolled her r's made her sound almost like she was trying to seduce the Dark Lord, but it was simply an aspect of her Falleen biology, as the species of reptilian humanoids had evolved many sensual mannerisms to promote the propagation of their species.

"The seven of us are launching full-scale, coordinated assaults on Coruscant and Tython." Marr replied. The somewhat stunned silence from the four newest members of the Dark Council was again broken by Karrid.

"And you didn't think to include usss?" She questioned, her bottom lip protruding slightly in what might have been a pout.

"There was no time." Marr said firmly. "As it is it will take you four a while to reorganize your respective Spheres as you see fit, and this plan was approved and preparations were begun before any of you were appointed your seats." He paused briefly. "And besides, the Empire will need strong leadership in our absence, leadership you all have proven capable of providing."

"Your confidence in us is appreciated, Darth Marr." Nalik said, cutting off Karrid before she could respond. His eyes moved to Nox as he continued, "We will not disappoint you."

"With our newest members settled," Mortis spoke up, "I think we should get on with the business of this meeting."

"Yes," Marr agreed. "The Sphere of Intelligence should be reformed, and preferably soon."

"The first issue is who to elect as Darth Zhorrid's replacement." Ravage said. "I think Darth Malron would be a good choice." A snort of disbelief came from Rictus.

"You think that little bootlicker is fit to be on the Dark Council?" The old man could barely restrain his laughter. "Come now Ravage don't tell me you think a politician like Malron is fit to head Imperial Intelligence!"

"I don't hear you offering any candidates, Rictus." Ravage growled.

"Darth Emereen would be an excellent candidate." Rictus shot back. Aruk and Charnus nodded their agreement.

"Emereen?" Arkous asked politely. "You mean the one who uses aliens for cannon fodder?" Rictus glared at Arkous who, to his credit, easily maintained his composure.

"If Arkous is correct," Marr interjected, "Than Emereen would not be a suitable candidate for head of the Sphere of Intelligence. The Ministry of Intelligence is required to identify and make full use of any potential assets its encounters. Someone with as blatant disregard for asset value as Emereen would be a waste."

"I agree with Marrrr." Karrid said. "Vwe need sssomeone perrceptive with the ability to rrecognize talent."

"What about Darth Vedira?" Nalik asked.

"Vedira would be a good choice in a time of peace." Mortis replied. "But her paranoia and obsession with traitors would end up being a liability given our current situation. The next Councilor of Intelligence must be capable of always seeing the galactic situation, rather than just Republic or Empire."

"Darth Onakk has proven himself capable of orchestrating and managing several complex plots at once." Darth Vowrawn asserted. "And he is quite skilled at detecting them too."

"Yet he relegates himself to only hunting prey and orchestrating assassinations." Rictus replied. "He would not do well without some kind of oversight, of that I can assure you."

"Weren't you the one that taught him Rictus?" Nox asked, weathering the glare of rebuke he received in response.

"Yes." The old Sith admitted. "I taught him, but his potential proved to be far less than I imagined. He has proven to be useful only as a tool or weapon, however effective." A full hour of deliberations later, all the members of the Dark Council had reached the same conclusion.

"It would appear," Marr said, finally putting into words what all of them were thinking, "that there is no suitable candidate for the position."

"But surely we must elect someone?" Nalik asked.

"And have a repeat of Zhorrid?" Ravage asked incredulously. "No thank you. That petulant, ignorant child should have been strangled at birth. What use Jadus had for her I cannot fathom."

"Ravage is right." Mortis added. "If we are to elect another to take Jadus's place, they must be suitable for the position. Despite the continuing risk, we cannot rush this."

"Agreed." Marr said. "We will watch and wait for now, to see if a likely candidate distinguishes themselves."

"Is there any more business to be discussed before we embark?" Ravage asked.

"I'm promoting Lord Zavros to the rank of Darth." Nox replied. There was a moment of silence before Aruk exploded in outrage.

"Zavros? Have you lost your mind, Nox?" The Pureblood shouted.

"I too am skeptical as to your motivations, Lord Nox." Rictus acknowledged. "Lord Zavros's track record has proven to be...errant."

"Surely you can't be speaking of her results." Nox said sardonically. "She has one of the highest success ratings of any member of the Imperial Diplomatic service."

"It is her methods that concern me." Ravage said accusingly. "She is often too generous with the Empire's time and resources, choosing diplomacy when the simple application of deceit or brute force would work just as well, if not better."

"An understandable concern." Nox admitted. "But you must remember that she seduced several star systems that proved impervious to all other attempts at diplomacy and were too well-protected by the Republic to simply conquer. The reason Rictus enjoys a larger influx of Umbaran students into his Sphere is due to Zavros's acquisition of Umbara's pledge to join the Empire." The point didn't sit well with Aruk or Ravage, but Rictus seemed grudgingly convinced. "Lord Zavros's methods may be...unusual, to say the least, but I can personally vouch for her dedication to the Empire. As a Darth she will have access to even more ways to benefit us."

"Then let it be done." Marr said with finality. "Will you be performing the ceremony yourself?"

"Of course." Nox said with undisguised satisfaction.

"Then we will speak no more of it." Marr said, and Nox enjoyed seeing Aruk's fists tighten around his armrests.

"I believe it is time we adjourn to make our final preparations before the assault." Vowrawn said in a conclusive manner.

"Then by all means," Ravage said, standing to his feet. "Let us get on with it." One by one the other members of the Council stood and followed Ravage out the door. Nox was the last one to leave his seat and begin walking towards the exit. Soon after leaving the Council chambers and hearing the door shut behind him, he was pulled into a side hall by Karrid, who seemed to have been waiting for him.

"Darrrtth Nox." She said by way of greeting, her seductive tone possessing an extra layer of potency.

"Darth Karrid." Nox said in like tone. "What is it you desire?" Her eyes briefly flickered down and then back up to his hidden face.

"The Fatality." She purred.

"Ahh yes." Nox said, allowing a false undertone of resignation to seep into his words. "I knew this conversation would happen sooner or later."

"I'm told that the contentss of the cargo hold are the property of the Sssphere of Technology." She said, her eyes glittering. "My Sssphere."

"Of course." Nox said, attempting to placate her. His engineers weren't finished analyzing the droids so that they could reproduce them in secret, so he needed to stall for more time. "But you know how Imperial bureaucracy works." He said, faking sympathy. "I'll dispatch the order to turn it over to your engineers, but the paperwork will take a few days to unravel."

"You can't-" Karrid paused to sidle up to him, evoking equal feelings of amusement and disgust in Nox. "accelerate thisss processss?" Karrid's charms might have had even Nox in her sway before she accepted the cybernetic implants that now marred her once perfect features, but thanks to her lost beauty, Nox was largely unaffected. Still, he knew it could be useful to allow her to think she had him right where she wanted him. It was so much easier to manipulate people, especially women, when they thought they were the ones manipulating you.

"I could bypass several processing procedures and protocols." He offered, tilting his head slightly so as to pretend to be distracted by the outline of her figure in her form-fitting robes. "It would cut roughly twenty-four hours off of the turnover time." He hid his apprehension behind a mental wall as he prayed Karrid didn't decide to press her luck and try for more than that, otherwise he would have to resist, which would shatter her delusions that he was easy to manipulate. Thankfully, she didn't.

"Thank you." Karrid purred, gently caressing his arm. "I knew vwe could come to an...underssstanding. Usss outsiderrrsss have to ssstick togetherrr."

"I agree." Nox said, still feigning distraction. "There are many on the Dark Council who will conspire against us."

"All the more rrreasson to form an alliance, vwouldn't you agrree?" Karrid cooed. Nox had to restrain himself, physically and mentally, from recoiling in revulsion.

"Of course." He said, as it was only logical. "And what better gift to cement our allegiance than the Fatality?"

"My thoughtsss exactly." Karrid murmured in his ear. Nox was relieved when she released his arm and slipped away down the hall towards the elevator. He turned and watched her go, knowing she could feel his gaze on her, he made sure to place it on all the right spots until after she turned the corner, at which point he allowed himself to shudder in disgust. The things I do to deceive people...he ruminated to himself as he pulled out his now vibrating datapad to check the incoming notification; it was an encrypted message. Decrypting and opening it, he saw that it was from Xalek's alias; Raptor. The message simply read: _The Gorvakah has returned to the nest with the Kakrin._

Excellent, Xalek had returned with the artifacts and was awaiting him in his apartment suite. Nox returned the datapad to its place and headed for the elevator. Minutes later he was speeding through the skies of Kaas City on his Nethian, heading for home. Upon arrival, he parked the speeder bike in the garage and traversed the length of the hall to enter the lounge, following the overwhelming concentration of Dark Side energy. Xalek was standing near the GTN terminal when Nox entered and he bowed respectfully.

"Master."

"Where are they?"

The Kaleesh wordlessly reached into the pack attached to his belt and removed two small objects: one a black cube carved with glowing red runes, and the other a crimson sphere shot through with moving shadows that curled and wound around each other inside.

Nox approached and seized the artifacts, one in each hand. "Yes...thank you apprentice, you have done well." Xalek's pride swelled at the praise. "But your work is not done yet."

"Master?" Xalek asked as his ears pricked up in curiosity.

"Come, Moff Pyron's fleet awaits us in orbit. We are about to embark on a mission that will shape the galaxy for decades to come." Xalek bowed his head low as his bloodlust rose to a roar in his ears.

"I will follow you to the gates of oblivion, master."

"And I will lead you to the throne of godhood, my apprentice."

* * *

With a thunderous boom, an Imperial fleet emerged from hyperspace over Tython and opened fire. Several of the smaller Defender-class ships, taken completely off-guard, were destroyed in seconds. The rest of the orbital defense fleet scrambled to organize a response as their shields took heavy damage from the surprise attack. Hundreds of troop transport shuttles with fighter escorts were dispatched from the Imperial capital ships, some headed for the enemy's capital ships, and others down to the planet's surface. The guns of several of the heavy cruisers turned and locked on, opening fire and destroying several shuttles in a hail of blaster bolts. Fighters swarmed out of launching bays on both sides.

A Fury-class Interceptor launched from the bay of one of the Star Destroyers and, weaving in and out of the tangle of ion blasts, blaster bolts, and fighters, headed down towards the planet's surface.

* * *

Demise deflected a series of blaster bolts back at their sources, and watched with malicious pride as the soldiers were torn apart by their own weapons fire. He leaped thirty meters from behind the makeshift barricades the Imperial forces were using as cover to land in the center of the squad of Republic troops opposing them. He augmented the impact of his landing with the Force, causing the permacrete to crack and buckle under his unnaturally increased weight. The shockwave of the landing robbed his enemies of their balance and they staggered and stumbled, struggling to regain their composure. With wide, sweeping arcs of his lightsaber, he cut through the armor, weapons, and flesh of the disabled troops until they were all in pieces on the ground.

The squad of elite Imperial commandos assigned to him, with Lieutenant Pierce at leading them, scrambled to catch up with him. He led them through the city streets, hewing down the squads of soldiers, Coruscant Security officers, and the occasional roving groups of gangsters who were about as happy about the invasion as everyone else. They all fell to his blade and the blaster fire of his troops. They worked their way towards the Coruscant Military Command Center, the headquarters of the Republic Military on Coruscant and, according to Nox's intel, the de-facto Command center of the Republic military during an invasion, and the most likely place to find the newly appointed Supreme Commander Jace Malcom.

The com in Demise's ear chirped, and the voice of Darth Mortis came over the channel. "Wrath, what's your status?"

"We're carving our way to the Command Center." Demise replied. "We'll be knocking down their door in about ten standard minutes." The sound of blaster fire rang out and a sudden explosion off to his left staggered Demise for a second. He looked up to see a Republic troop carrier deposit a group of commandos on a nearby platform and peel off. His commandos responded in short order, with Peirce barking orders as both sides opened fire. "Better make that fifteen minutes." Demise said into his com.

"We've reached the Senate building and are encountering heavy resistance." Mortis replied. "We'll get through it eventually but by then the Supreme Chancellor is likely to escape."

"Don't worry." Demise said in response, as he hurled his lightsaber to cut one of the enemy soldiers in half. "We've got assassins and ambushes set up at every one of her little hidey-holes. She won't get away. All you have to do is make sure she runs, and kill her if she doesn't." He terminated the channel just as his blade returned to his hand, and he leapt across the empty space separating the two platforms to land among the enemy. These soldiers were much better trained than the last ones, as they had already started to disperse to avoid the impact zone by the time he was airborne, successfully avoiding being unbalanced by his augmented landing. Several of them opened fire on him and he was forced into a defensive position as the torrent of bolts came at him from all sides. His personal shield flared as it assisted his armor in absorbing most of the impact of the bolts he missed.

With sudden fury, Demise whirled on one of his attackers and Force Pushed the unfortunate woman right over the platform's railing. He began to Force Choke one of the other soldiers without even looking at him as he advanced on the two remaining attackers. They intensified their fire but Demise simply deflected the bolts back at them, driving them into their own personal shields, causing them to flare and spark. One of the soldiers stopped firing and reached for a plasma grenade on his belt, hurling it at the Sith. Demise gestured with his free hand, grabbing the grenade in his telekinetic grip and hurling it into the nearby group of commandos that were engaged in a shootout with his own troops. The grenade exploded and the thrower's unsuspecting allies screamed as the plasma explosion burned through armor and flesh and set them aflame. One of them, either lucky or unlucky depending on your point of view, was hurled over the edge of the platform by the explosion, and plummeted to his death far below, screaming all the way.

The commando who had thrown the grenade dropped his gun and reached behind his back, drawing a vibroblade as his partner did the same. Demise smiled behind his helm as he stopped his advance, raised one hand, and beckoned them to attack him. The taunt worked, and the two soldiers charged him in sync, attempting to overwhelm him with their slow and predictable style. Demise entertained himself by easily defending against their assaults, batting their blades away is if they were mere children. He landed a few blows on their limbs and torsos which the combination of their armor and personal shields deflected, but he remained untouched even as the power packs powering their shield generators were slowly drained of energy.

Then, with sudden ferocity, Demise switched from Soresu to Djem So, ravaging the two soldiers with an unstoppable flurry of blows that immediately put them on the defensive. Demise didn't let up however, and the female soldier's shield was the first to collapse. A single thrust pierced her armor and impaled her, causing her companion to unleash a battle cry and attack Demise with reckless abandon. Demise put him out of his misery with a series of heavy, overhand blows that brought him to his knees and drained his shield before Demise beheaded him with one sweep.

As an afterthought, he clenched his fist and the neck of the soldier who he had been choking during the battle snapped, the body dropping to floor. Peirce's voice crackled over the com, "Nicely done m'lord."

"We need to keep moving Pierce, we can't afford any more delays."

"Roger."

* * *

HK-51 moved quickly and quietly through the backstreets of Coruscant. His motors whirred softly, muffled by the stealth field generator which hid his existence from the naked eye. Being a droid, Force users had to rely on their physical senses to detect him which made him one of the top assassins in the galaxy, a fact he was quite proud of.

His optical sensors took in the environment as he rounded corners and slunk along walls, heading towards his target's location. He was deep in Coruscant's lower levels, where even the invasion forces wouldn't reach, which made it the perfect place for someone like his target to hide. Reaching the building he was looking for, he found an entrance blocked by an archaic slab of metal on hinges with a handle to be turned in order to access the property. Gripping the handle, HK-51 turned it, allowing the door to swing open so he could enter. Once inside, he turned and closed the door again, hearing the ancient mechanics click as the door resealed itself.

He searched the floor and found a staircase leading up, he took it up four floors until he knew he was far enough up to have a good view of the street below. Searching the floor, he found the perfect vantage point and retrieved his sniper rifle from its magnetic holster, double and triple checking it to ensure it was in perfect working order, then he ran a diagnostic on all his systems, correcting all errors he encountered to ensure he was operating at peak efficiency. When he was ready, he positioned himself in the shadows of a corner and waited.

Within twenty minutes he heard the sound of speeder cars approaching. Leaning slightly out of his position to get a better view of the street, he saw the small flotilla of covered black speeders with tinted windows pulling up to the LiMerge building across the way. His subroutines indicating that his target would soon be appearing, HK performed one last, rapid self-diagnostic and took up position in the window, his cloaking device still active, his rifle primed for fire and aimed at the cars in the street.

The doors of some of the cars opened several members of his target's personal guard climbed out, dressed in blue and yellow armor and carrying assault rifles in their magnetic holsters. Most of them drew their weapons and took up positions on either side of an invisible path leading from the door of the center car to the entrance of the LiMerge building. The remaining soldiers entered the building and for a few minutes, nothing happened. HK stood patiently, waiting for the signal.

Suddenly, the first soldier on the left side of the door put his hand to his earpiece and listened to what was being said. When whoever was talking apparently finished, he leaned forward, reaching for the door handle. HK dropped his cloak, and initiated his assassination protocols. All sensory processing accelerated to maximum speed, causing time to seem to slow down. HK's optical sensors refocused slightly in preparation for target acquisition, and his entire body became as still as stone.

The door opened and a green-skinned Twi'lek woman emerged from the car. His optics narrowed to pinpoints as they locked onto her, and it seemed to take an eternity for her to leave the vehicle and begin walking towards the building's entrance. He began the charging sequence, even as the end of his rifle tracked her progress in perfect sync. She was halfway between the car and the building now, and HK could feel the minute vibrations of his weapon as it supercharged the plasma that was straining to launch itself from the barrel. The charge grew closer and closer to full capacity as the Twi'lek drew closer and closer to safety. The soldier on the left of the door leaned forward, seized the primitive handle, and opened the door for her even as she drew closer and closer to it. Then, when she was merely three steps from the threshold, HK's rifle clicked once, and he squeezed the trigger.

There was a loud crack as the supercharged blaster bolt burst from the barrel of the assassin droid's weapon and flew across the eighty meters of distance separating the barrel of the sniper rifle from Leontyne Saresh's cranium. It seemed to travel the distance instantaneously, like an arrow shot from the bow of Death itself. The bolt penetrated the Twi'lek's skull and seared through her cranial cavity, scorching tissue of every segment of the brain. The Supreme Chancellor collapsed in mid-stride, and for a brief instant, there was dead silence.

HK raised his cloaking field and retreated back into the shadows where he could still view events on the street. The soldiers suddenly came alive, orders were shouted, weapons were cocked and raised, and helmeted heads surveyed the area, searching for any evidence of the sniper's presence.

"Spread out!" One of the taller guards barked. "Find the assassin!" He rushed forward towards the body of the Supreme Chancellor, hastily removing his glove and placing two fingers on her dead pulse. When HK saw him lower his head in defeat and confirm the kill to the guard next to him. He whispered softly to himself; "Plus one to kill counter." and moved off to make his escape.

* * *

 _The Midnight Shadow_ , Nox's personal Interceptor, rotated 180 degrees as it slowly lowered itself onto the ground. Upon landing the boarding ramp lowered and Nox, followed by Xalek, descended to set foot on Tythonian soil. Nox grimaced as he felt the Light Side wash over him, making his skin burn and his stomach turn as he felt the presence of the planet's vibrant ecosystem through the Force. Pulling out his datapad, he checked the map of the area he had scanned while coming in to land. The Jedi Temple was a few klicks away, but there was more than enough time to get there as long as he hurried. Returning the datapad to its place, he waved his hand in an arcane motion, and he and Xalek vanished from sight.

Invisible, Nox and Xalek moved through the forests of Tython with swift urgency. After about ten minutes of navigating the trails, they reached the temple grounds. The courtyard was as still and quiet as the grave; the landing parties apparently hadn't reached the Temple yet. But as Nox and Xalek drew closer to the temple, they could sense faint vibrations in the Force, the result of many Force users in close proximity to one another cloaking themselves in the Force. Nox was very careful entering the Temple's main entrance, and had his suspicions confirmed when he saw the faint glimmer of a Light Side Force Cloak out of the corner of his eye.

Once inside he and Xalek hugged the walls, hoping to avoid detection by other Jedi lurking in stealth. They crept past multiple groups of Jedi who either stood in guard positions or patrolled the halls with meticulous vigilance as they wound their way deeper and deeper into the Jedi Temple. Nox knew where they were going, but despite this he still felt somewhat lost in the confusing maze of the Temple's lower halls. Finally reaching the spiral staircase he sought, he signaled to Xalek that the target was close and together they began descending the stairs.

The staircase seemed to go on forever, and Nox couldn't help wondering why there were no guards here. Having to battle their way down this staircase would have given the Jedi plenty of time to respond, but they didn't run across a single guard on the whole trip down. After a while, Nox realized that the probable reason was that the secret mediation chamber that was supposedly at the bottom of this staircase was not intended to be a bunker, but a hiding place. Guarding it would be akin to putting up signs to lead enemies directly to it. He allowed himself a small chuckle at the irony of the situation, the Jedi had intended to protect their Grandmaster by hiding her, and yet they had only succeeded in isolating her for Nox to prey upon.

Finally, they reached the bottom of the staircase and entered a large, open chamber that was decorated in typical Jedi fashion. The gold and whitewashed permacrete was illuminated by ambient light sources in the ceiling, and at the far end, seated cross-legged on a raised dais, was the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order: Satele Shan. Satele's bowed head raised as Nox crossed the threshold;

"I can sense you." She called out boldly. "Show yourself." Sensing the truth of her words, and realizing his advantage of surprise was gone, Nox dropped the Force Cloak and continued to walk towards Satele, who was getting to her feet and turning to face him. "You were foolish to come here Sith, The Republic is already on its way to reinforce us. Your fleet will be stopped, and you will be defeated."

"Now where have I heard that before?." Nox asked himself rhetorically. "Oh yes, the incident that ended with a dead Imperial general and Jedi Padawan, what was her name again? Yadira...something." Master Satele's face registered no surprise, but Nox sensed the brief wavering of her emotions at the mention of the name.

"So that was you." Satele said in a soft tone. "You haven't changed at all, you're still as reckless and foolish as you were then." Nox snorted.

"Are you Jedi really that blind? Do you not remember what I did to the Brentaal Star? Are you not aware of the planets I've razed and the foes I've destroyed? Have you no idea how many of your kind, that are now dead and gone, stood where you stand now? I am Darth Nox, a member of the Dark Council, and I've defeated countless foes who thought themselves stronger! Can you not feel my power?"

"Power is nothing without control."

Nox laughed, the harsh booming of his malicious guffaws echoing off the gilded walls. "Then let's just see how much control I have, shall we?" With that, Xalek drew his lightsaber and leaped forward, his master's presence granting him preternatural speed, dexterity, and strength beyond what the Force naturally imparted. In a flash, Satele's saberstaff was in her hand and she expertly deflected Xalek's overhead leaping strike. She attacked with supernatural focus and precision, expecting to run the stumbling Kaleesh through, only to find that he wasn't caught off-guard and easily slipped out of the way of her thrust, countering with his own spinning strike. She deflected the blow easily, only to find her counter strike was avoided again.

The Kaleesh's skills were raw and unfocused, but his power in the Force and ability to call upon it seemed to be another matter entirely. She could feel Darth Nox's unique Force Presence, like living darkness, roiling and crashing all around her, but her mental defenses were more than enough to resist the darkness that threatened to crush and consume her, devouring her strength, her will, and her connection to the Force. She attacked with a smooth, focused combination of swinging strikes, rapid jabs, and spinning assaults, calling on the Force to grant her speed and strength. The Kaleesh responded by defending himself, rather amateurishly, but with surprising speed and accuracy. Satele stepped up the frequency of her attacks, surrendering herself to the Force as she spun her blades in lightning-fast combinations of Ataru, leaping and darting with incredible speed, pelting the young Sith with a flurry of ferocious and masterful strikes. He held his own, barely, but valiantly. He was focused solely on defense and yet barely holding on, and Satele knew the end was near.

She ended her sequence and was about to launch another, final series of attacks when she felt her strength and life force beginning to drain from her body. She cried out in pain and Nox laughed in malevolent triumph. He was standing in a summoning posture with a black cube carved all over with glowing red Sith runes hovering, tumbling in midair between his hands. Satele could sense her life essence being ripped from her body and drawn into the dark artifact, where it was converted into Force power and absorbed by Nox. She saw the apprentice approach her, raising his lightsaber to perform an executioner's swing, and she summoned the will to resist the drain on her strength. She felt the vacuum of the siphoning spell slow from an open flow to a trickle as the Light Side shrouded her body and spirit. She brought her saberstaff up in time to block his killing blow and they locked eyes as their sabers crossed.

With a sudden burst of energy, Satele sprang to her feet, putting all her unnatural strength into thrusting off the young Sith's crushing attack. He staggered back, temporarily unbalanced, his guard lowered, and she took the opportunity to reach out with the Force, using his moment of weakness to lift him up off the ground and toss him straight up into the air. Stunned by the odd tactic, the apprentice could only watch as Satele took a running start and leaped up towards the falling Kaleesh. She put her forward momentum into a two-footed kick that sent her opponent flying into the far wall and allowed her to perform a backwards somersault that saw her land on one knee in the same spot she had taken off from.

Despite his impact with the wall, the Kaleesh seemed stunned but not harmed. Satele once again reached out with the Force, seizing a piece of one of the supporting pillars and ripping it out of its place. She hurled it at her foe and the impact caused the entire room to shudder. The room seemed to be silent for a moment. Then, Satele's heart quivered with a slight tremor of disbelief when she heard the sound of a lightsaber re-activating and saw the purple glow of her enemy's blade through the thick cloud of dust. A disturbance in the Force caused her to turn and see Nox facing in the Kaleesh's direction, his arms outstretched, his fingers splayed, with tendrils of dark energy erupting from their tips and spiraling towards his apprentice. Seizing the opportunity, she charged him, blade raised high, only to find her strike blocked by the apprentice, who seemed to have crossed the distance from the far end of the room in mere seconds.

Satele could already sense the young Sith's power, burgeoning from his Master's support through the Force, rising to meet her own. She could feel his hatred and rage rising within him, and she knew if she didn't end this quickly, she might find herself in a very undesirable position at the end of this battle. She couldn't call for backup with her comlink, she'd be cut down the moment her guard relaxed, and she couldn't defeat the apprentice with his master augmenting his powers and healing him of any injury. She needed to cut off the head. It was then that Nox adopted a focusing posture, positioning his hands if he were holding something spherical, and Satele saw dark energy gathering in the empty space between, writhing and growing. With desperate speed, she darted past the apprentice and made a beeline for the seemingly vulnerable Nox, her blade poised to impale him.

* * *

Demise clenched his fists, summoning all his strength in the Force, then lashed out with violent exertion. The thick, reinforced durasteel door of the Command Center exploded inward, unfortunately killing no one, as the commanding officers had been smart enough to place their soldiers on either side of the door rather than in front of it. The blaster bolts began flying, and Demise drew his lightsaber, leaping into the fray with the fury of a vornskr.

He hewed apart soldier after soldier, deflecting their blaster bolts before he cleaved them in two or impaled them on his violet blade. He crushed some of their windpipes with the Force or hurled them into walls, he was a hypnotic blur of death and violence. Torn between attacking him and defending themselves from the onslaught of bolts raining down on them from the Imperial commandos outside, the soldiers quickly became disorganized and divided. They were easily torn apart by Demise and his squad, after which Demise continued deeper into the base, hewing and hacking apart all resistance as the commandos struggled to bring up the rear.

Eventually they reached the command bunker, and with a gesture Demise sent the door flying inward to crash into the screens on the opposite wall. He stormed into the room and brought his lightsaber up, barely in time to deflect the steady stream of bolts that were aimed at his upper torso. He felt the strain of resisting the constant pelting of the bolts creeping up his arms but he summoned the Force to renew his strength and he held fast. The man firing on him was obviously the new Supreme Commander: Jace Malcom. His face was horrifically scarred on one side, and he wore a battle scarred but sturdy-looking suit of white and red armor. He wielded a red and white Besh assault cannon which was even now belching a stream of plasmatic death at the Emperor's Wrath. His mouth was open in a battlecry that was drowned out by the roar of the cannon and the scream of the bolts striking Demise's blade.

Just then, Pierce and the squad of commandos burst in and, seeing Demise otherwise occupied, they turned and opened fire on his attacker. Their bolts struck the personal shield protecting the commander, causing it to flash and waver. Ceasing his barrage, Jace released the front grip of his weapon and reached for his other wrist, Demise leaped forward, blade raised, to try to put an end to the soldier, but Jace's finger reached the button first and the blue energy shield hummed to life around him. Demise hit the shield hard, and only his personal shield and the Force protected him from serious injury as his momentum crushed his body against the unbreakable barrier. He staggered back, and Jace reached to his belt, seized a plasma grenade, and lobbed it at the Pierce's squad. The commandos dived in all directions trying to avoid the projectile, but not all of them were lucky enough. The screams of those caught in the blast brought Demise back to full awareness, and through the Force, he felt their flesh burning off their bones, their armor melting and fusing to their skin, their dying brains exploding with transcendent pain, then the rage came.

He felt it rising up from deep within him, an unstoppable crimson tide that consumed him, filling every last inch of his body. The very air around him began to tremble, and his eyes glowed red behind the lenses of his helm. Jace unleashed a spray of bolts across the chamber, aiming to spread death to the survivors of the blast, his bolts struck many of the remaining soldiers, first piercing their shields, then their armor, then their bodies. Pierce managed to activate his energy shield in time, but his comrades were falling, one by one, under the hail of bolts. Demise however, stood as still as stone. None of the bolts even so much as hit his personal shield, they simply evaporated upon entering the trembling aura of power the surrounded him. Jace's energy shield began to stutter and waver, and there was a vibration in the Force that caused everyone left alive in the chamber to pause in sudden fear or awe to process what was happening. Jace looked in shock at his wavering shield, and his eyes darted around, looking at thin air, as if the atmosphere itself was conspiring against him. Realizing what was happening, he dropped his cannon and, with a hidden motion, grabbed a plasma grenade from his belt and charged Demise with a roar. Suddenly, as if by divine intervention, he was thrown to the floor. He struggled to move but his limbs were pinned by an invisible hand. Demise began to walk slowly towards his helpless foe, his body a nexus of Dark Side energy as he channeled his awesome rage into an unstoppable weapon. Jace grimaced and shifted the fingers of his hand so that his thumb hovered over the trigger of the grenade, if he was going down, he wasn't going alone.

Demise slowly approached his helpless prey, savoring every step, tightening his grip on his blade as he prepared to impale the human. A jangle of foreboding suddenly ripped through his skull, and his eyes were drawn to the commander's right hand just as the man's thumb pressed the trigger. Without even thinking, Demise used the Force to rip the grenade from the commander's hand and send it flying across the room, where it exploded against the far wall, creating a miniature nova that Demise had to shield himself from with the Force. By the time he recovered his senses, Jace was on his feet and charging towards him, a bowie knife clutched in his upraised hand. Demise took a step forward towards the charging soldier and leaned in, extending his lightsaber to impale Jace in the gut. The purple plasma blade, its penetration power amplified by Jace's own momentum and Demise's unnatural might, pierced Jace's personal shield, then his armor, and continued travelling through his body until it emerged out the other side.

Despite his imminent death, Jace actually ignored the blade in his gut, allowing his momentum to carry him down the blade's length to the hilt, where he reared back his knife and drove it through the lens of Demise's helm and into his left eye. Pain shot through Demise's skull, not nearly as severe as it would have been had his eyes still been organic, but it was still intense. Growling in anger and pain, he used the Force to send Jace flying against the far wall. The commander slumped to the ground, managing a weak chuckle.

"Something to remember me by, Sith."

Demise approached him, reaching up to his neck to trigger the collapse of his helm into its place inside the small container on the back of his neck. He reached the dying man and leaned down on one knee so his enemy could see the extent of the damage. Jace's foggy eyes widened slightly as he saw the sparking wires and shredded metal and glass of Demise's artificial oculi.

"You're just another body on the pile." Demise said, his voice hollow and cold, yet filled with hatred and rage.

The dying man seemed to be struggling to say something, but his dying body refused to move his lips to form the words. With a last, strangled gasp, the light faded from his eyes...and he was gone.

* * *

Satele felt the pain and sense of loss overtake her, even as she closed in on her target. The sudden, overwhelming grief that struck her as she felt Jace die made her hesitate, as disbelief and anger warred within her for dominance.

Sensing her hesitation, Nox ceased his channel and, in a blur of motion, outstretched one of his hands towards her. She saw it coming too late to avoid it. A bolt of lightning leaped from his outstretched fingers and penetrated her chest, overloading her nervous system in an instant. She spasmed and tripped over her own feet as the spike of electricity made her body unable to coordinate her movements. Pain suddenly overwhelmed her body as a storm of lightning launched from Nox's fingers enveloped her like a pack of vipers, stinging her with their voltaic venom. She screamed as thousands of volts ravaged her nervous system, desperately fighting to stay conscious. Behind her, Xalek outstretched his own clawed hands, letting the energy erupt from the tips of his claws, piling his own, amplified dark powers onto those of his master. Satele didn't even notice, her body was already in too much pain to detect the increase in voltage.

She felt like she was dying, and with the sensation came a sudden clarity, an eye in the midst of the storm. She felt as if she was liberated from all physical constraints, and the pain while still present, was severely dulled. She opened her eyes to see Darth Nox through the haze of electricity flashing across her vision. He was standing with his arms outstretched, leaning forward, both hands belching lightning like twin dragons breathing fire. The sheer amount of electrical energy he was unleashing was astounding, it looked almost like a stream of raw power, yet Satele felt nothing. She began to walk towards him, slowly, surely, putting one foot steadily in front of the other. To his credit, Nox noted the change with surprise, causing his stream of Force Lightning to waver briefly, but he hunched his shoulders, and the stream suddenly exploded into a raging river.

Satele was stopped short by the burst of energy, and she felt the pain beginning to return, but she called upon her discipline, harnessing the Force to bring her mind back into that state of intense focus. She continued her slow and deliberate approach, she was only six steps away now...four...three...two...she reached down to call her lightsaber to her hand, struggling, not against pain, but against the exhaustion that was sweeping over her body, mind and spirit. She sensed, rather than felt, the hilt of her blade sink into her palm and her fingers reflexively closed around it. She thumbed the activation switch as she took her next step towards Nox, who had stopped channeling his lightning and was reaching to his belt, where his silver saberstaff rested. Satele pivoted ninety degrees on her next step, bringing her lightsaber around so that she could grip the hilt in both hands. her next step she took backwards as she continued pivoting, Nox's supernatural speed still leaving him behind now that she was no longer encumbered by the intensity of the two Sith's Force lightning. Xalek was charging towards her, drawing his own lightsaber, about to hurl it in a spinning arc that would cleave her in two and leave Nox unharmed, but he wasn't fast enough either. Satele pivoted again on her next step, bringing her blade around and up to crash into Nox's personal shield. While the shield protected him from being sliced in two, the impact of her blade on the shield acted like the impact of a full-body uppercut with the strength to lift him high into the air and send him flying back to crash into the ground several yards away.

Satele was moving in to drive her lightsaber through his chest and into the floor when she was forced to duck and slip quickly to the left to avoid being beheaded by Xalek's sweep. She brought her lightsaber around to slice off half of the Kaleesh's head, which he blocked. She followed up with a set of fast and furious Ataru sequences, her lightsaber in constant motion as she easily backed the apprentice into a corner. Despite his amplified Force reflexes and awareness, the Kaleesh was once again struggling just to stay alive against the Jedi Grandmaster's focused onslaught. Satele felt the darkness of Nox's presence growing stronger, and in a whirling back flip that vaulted her over her opponent, she caught a glimpse of what he was doing. Darth Nox stood with feet spread wide, one artifact in each of his hands. The one in his right was the same red-black cube she had seen before, but the other was a crimson sphere shot through with shadowy wisps that moved and coiled as if they were alive. Satele landed, and threw herself back into the fight with Xalek, Every time she tried to make a move on Nox, the Kaleesh would interpose himself in her way, defending not just himself, but his master too. Try as she might she could not get to Nox, and despite his lack of skill and finesse, the Kaleesh was no amateur, he knew how to preserve his life against a superior combatant.

Nox's head fell back, and the artifacts were levitated out of his hands by the power of the Force and began rotating around him like planets around a star, their orbits polar opposites of each other. Nox's hands were now raised to shoulder height, his palms upturned. The artifacts began to rotate faster as his feet left the ground, and he ascended into the air, his body bathed in an aura of pure darkness. Satele felt the Kaleesh's speed, strength, and reflexes increase as the darkness grew, and she could swear the chamber itself was becoming dimmer. Her opponent was no longer struggling to keep up with her in order to defend himself, rather his strength increased while hers simultaneously diminished. Despite her best efforts, she felt the darkness of Nox's Force presence beginning to gnaw at the edges of her mind, eroding her resistance and mental fortitude, while sapping her physical strength. She tried to summon the power of the Force to give her strength and resolve, but instead of the cleansing rush of renewed focus and peace, she received only a thin, small trickle of the Light Side's power.

She felt her limbs grow sluggish and her thoughts become foggy and diffuse. She could no longer execute her sequences with the smooth, focused efficiency that she was used to and she found herself falling back on the defensive. Soon she was the one struggling to keep up with the Kaleesh's heavy-handed blows and brutish aggression. Her limbs felt weak and numb, her mind could barely stay conscious, and she began to lose track of where she was and what was going on. She was in a fight for her life, that much she knew, but she couldn't remember why, or who exactly her enemies were. She wanted to just lay down and sleep, her body was so tired, and her mind was drifting slowly into darkness and absence. She felt a strange, almost foreign presence inside her mind, and a chorus of voices began whispering to her, telling her dark and mutinous things. Even as she continued to struggle to defend herself from her enemy's vicious offense, the voices became more and more obstreperous.

She suddenly lost her footing, stumbling back and falling flat on her backside, her lightsaber skittering out of her hand and across the floor. Her enemy approached, with no mercy in his blazing, slitted yellow eyes. She tried to force her body to move and propel her away from the approaching predator, but her limbs, completely robbed of their strength, only thrashed uselessly. Her upper body fell back onto the cold, hard floor, her muscles no longer able to even keep her upright. The last thing she saw before everything went black was the pointy-eared, violet-skinned, skull-faced demon standing over her, his demonic gaze searing itself into her nightmares.

* * *

Satele woke to find everything was dark, cold, and wet. The air felt moist and stale, and the darkness was seemingly pitch black. She tried to move, only to find that her wrists and ankles were secured in some kind of shackles that pinned her spread-eagled to a metal slab. She tried to form a coherent thought and focus on the Force, only to find that she couldn't. Her thoughts didn't stay gathered for longer than a moment or two before they scattered in all directions, like vermin fleeing a light source. She realized, despite the mental fog occupying her brain, that she'd been drugged. The drugs would prevent her from calling on the Force to free her from her prison and had the unfortunate side effect of preventing her from forming a plan complex enough to escape.

As she looked around in the darkness, her eyes began to grow adjusted to the deep blackness that surrounded her. She was able to barely make out the cell walls, and could see darker splotches where moss or some similar form of plant life was presumably growing. Just as she came to that conclusion however, the thought slipped away, and she found herself wondering what she had just been thinking about. Her gaze fell on another dark patch, but this one was too square and well-defined to be some kind of growth, of course Satele didn't remember the moss, and thus spent a good long moment staring at the shape before she realized it was probably a door. The thought vanished though, and she stared at the unfamiliar, rectangular shape in the darkness, wondering what it was. Suddenly, a loud screech pierced her ears, and she attempted to recoil in terror, as a sliver of light appeared to the side of the dark shape. The sliver grew wider, and Satele realized that she had been staring at the door to her cell, and that it was now opening.

A dark shadow appeared in the pool of light spilling out from behind the opening door, and a shiver went down Satele's spine. She turned her head and closed her eyes, as the door opened fully, allowing the light of the hallway outside to blast into the small, dark cell. She heard footsteps as the being who had cast the shadow walked into the room, and she sensed another kind of darkness fall over her despite the physical light coming in from the corridor. Hesitantly, she turned her head back towards the door, her heart pounding, and cracked open one eyelid. The light seemed to sear her cornea, but she reluctantly held it open, glimpsing the silhouette of her captor through the blinding light. Slowly, she opened her other eye, and as they began to adjust to the glare, she began to see her enemy in detail, illuminated by the light streaming from behind him.

The first thing she noticed released a tremor of fear, the being before her had a skull for a face. It's empty eye sockets as black as the darkness that had preceded the light. After a few moments though, she realized it wasn't an actual human skull, but rather her abductor's helm. She noticed too, the semi-armoured robes he wore, and he struck her as familiar somehow. Then, suddenly, the memories came to her, her parched and trembling lips struggled to form the word.

"You..."

"Yes Satele, it's me."

"What? Where am I? What have you done Sith?" She asked, her words slurred by the drugs coursing through her system.

"I've made you my property." Came the cold and menacing reply.

"What-"

"Never mind that now." Nox cut her off. "You will understand soon enough." He clasped his hands in front of him, and Satele could feel the power building within him.

"No!" She said pleadingly, confused and afraid. "Don't-" She was cut off by a sharp pain in her head that drove her to thrash in her restraints, crying out with discomfort. The pain faded, but Nox remained as he was. Satele opened her mouth to speak again, but another wave of pain hit her, and only a gasp came out.

The pain came in waves after that, and she soon realized that Nox was causing it. He was releasing dark energy in bursts, bursts that slowly wore down Satele's mental defenses, and caused her to feel even weaker than before, and somehow more hollow inside, as if bits and pieces of her were being stripped away, like pieces of sediment being eroded from a rock exposed to the tide. Soon Nox began performing arcane and obscure movements with his hands, then his feet too, and finally his whole body. He moved around the chamber with an eerie grace, his movements dramatic and flowing. Now and then he would gesture in her direction or perform a certain movement and Satele would feel another sharp spike of pain. She could feel the darkness growing, it was as if the very shadows of the cell came alive and began closing in on her. Suddenly the light of the outside seemed very, very far away.

Nox stopped in between her and the light, his silhouette appearing much larger than it should have been. He placed both feet in a firm stance, and leaned forward, extending both his hands in a channeling pose. Satele screamed as she felt a foreign presence pierce, not just her mind, but her entire being. She felt wholly violated, is if her very soul was laid bare, exposed. The pain was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, it wasn't just intense, it was an otherworldly pain, a pain borne of ethereal suffering rather than physical or mental torment. In an attempt to hide from the agony and shame, she retreated deep into the darkest crevices of her mind. With no ability to form a coherent thought or coalesce her own memories, she repeated one simple phrase over and over and over. Clinging to it like a drowning woman to a lifeline: Theron, help me. Theron, help me. Theron, help me. Theron, help me...

* * *

Jay-Li walked to his ship's holoterminal and turned it on. The ringing notifying him of the incoming call stopped, and the image of Vice Chancellor Madon flickered into existence.

"Vice Chancellor." Jay said, inclining his head in respect. "What is it I can do for you?"

"Master Kenobi! I've been trying to reach you for the past several hours!"

"We were passing through a nebula, Vice Chancellor, the background radiation interfered with our communications arrays. What's going on?" Jay-Li had seen the fear and concern in Madon's face and was trying to contain his own apprehension.

"Coruscant and Tython have been attacked." Madon replied, and Jay-Li felt his blood grow cold.

"When?"

"Roughly six standard hours ago." Jay-Li paused for a moment as a thought suddenly came to him.

"Vice Chancellor, is there a reason you're contacting me instead of the Supreme Chancellor?" The older man nodded, a sad expression taking over his features.

"Yes. I am now the acting Supreme Chancellor. I'm afraid, master Jedi, that the former Supreme Chancellor is dead." Jay-Li turned his head away and closed his eyes, observing a moment of silent sorrow for her passing. "She's not the only one either." Jay-Li's eyes snapped open and his gaze shot up to the Vice Chancellor.

"Who else?"

"The Supreme Commander of the Republic Forces has also been reported as dead," Madon said mournfully. "and..." Jay-Li bristled at the man's hesitation to say what he had been about to say.

"What? Who else was killed Madon?"

"And I'm afraid that Grandmaster Satele is reported missing."

"Missing?"

"She is presumed to be dead." Jay-Li shook his head in vehement disagreement with the statement.

"If she was dead Supreme Chancellor, I would have sensed it, as would every Jedi Master in the order. I'm assuming you didn't find a body."

"No." Madon replied with certainty.

"Then mark my words, Satele Shan is not dead."

"I believe you, Master Jedi." Madon said in agreement. "That is a relief to hear, however, it does not change our current situation."

"And what situation is that precisely?" Jay asked.

"That every leader of the Republic has either been killed or cut off from us. I'm afraid that as of this moment, you, me, and acting Supreme Commander Maxxor are the new leaders of the Republic." Jay stood in stunned silence for a moment, as he processed what Madon had said. As he stood deep in thought, the holoprojector buzzed and a second eidolon flickered into existence. The newcomer was clad in high-quality white and gold trooper armor. A strap across his chest held several power packs, and a utility belt around his waist held more ammo and even a few plasma grenades. On his left shoulder was a protruding shoulder pad with the insignia of Havoc Squad emblazoned on it in gold. On his head he wore a bucket helmet with a T-shaped visor, the bottom of which was cut off by an air filter which doubtless allowed the man to breathe under even the harshest conditions. The thing that really drew Jay's eye however, was the massive assault cannon attached to the large man's back, it looked like it weighed as much as he did.

"Master Jedi." Supreme Commander Maxxor said, bowing slightly at the waist. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Ah." Said Madon as he turned and noticed the new addition to the call. "Supreme Commander, we were just talking about you."

"We're holding together on the western front." Maxxor told Madon, and Jay thought he heard a distant explosion in the background. "The imps are starting to pull back, I've sent a few scouts out to survey the landing sites."

"You think it's over?" The Supreme Chancellor asked, a note of relief and hope creeping into his voice. The Supreme Commander nodded.

"They don't have the numbers for a full-on occupation, and my predecessor already summoned every Republic fleet in the Core to descend on Coruscant. It'll be hours before they get here but the imps aren't stupid, they know were not just guna sit here and take it."

"How did this happen?" Jay asked Madon.

"Reports are sketchy," Maxxor replied in the Supreme Chancellor's stead, "but apparently the Empire seized Alderaan without us knowing about it."

"How is that possible? Last I heard Organa and her allies were winning the war." Jay said, still confounded by the magnitude of the disaster.

"It was a trap set by the imps," The Supreme Commander supplied, "They let Organa think they were winning to lure them into a trap, then right before they sprung it, they took out all planetary and exo-planetary communications. It threw Organa's forces into complete chaos, but the Thuls all knew what to do, and the planet was theirs within a matter of hours. With the communications blackout nobody on-world could tell us what was going on, and with Thul restricting all travel off-world, nobody in orbit knew anything until the Thuls took over our space station and faked the all-clear signal. From there, they used Alderaan as a staging point to launch their fleets."

A third image suddenly shimmered into view next to the Maxxor. "Supreme Commander, we have an emergency!"

"Director?" Maxxor asked incredulously. "What is it?"

"Is this connection secure?" The Director asked hurriedly, Madon nodded.

"I'm using my personal encryption key, we're as secure as can be."

"We've intercepted Imperial transmissions, the attacks are just the beginning, they're planning a full scale invasion of every major system in the Core!"

"WHAT!" Maxxor roared.

"It's true, I'd stake my life on this." The Director replied.

"That may be what you've just done, but not just your life either. If what you say is true trillions will die!" The Supreme Chancellor exclaimed.

"I suggest we focus on protecting the most critical systems, starting with Duro."

"Duro?" The Supreme Commander asked incredulously. "I thought you just said we should focus on protecting critical systems. Duro is heavily populated, but it's not Kuat or Muunilinst." The Director shifted uncomfortably.

"A report from one of my field agents indicates that the _Ascendant Spear_ is on its way to Duro to raze it to the ground as we speak. We-that is I and the previous Supreme Commander-had planned to ambush the _Spear_ at Duro and destroy it, it's called Operation Endgame." Jay sensed the man was covering something up, but considering the man was the Director of SIS, Jay decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"And now the whole operation is about to fall apart if you can't get a big enough fleet together." Supreme Commander Maxxor said, finishing the thought.

"Yes." The Director replied solemnly.

"Well we can't very well throw away an operation in progress that could be so critical to the Republic war effort, especially at this juncture." Maxxor said affirmatively.

"Now hold on just a minute!" Madon spoke up. "We can't very well abandon all the other worlds that are being invaded!"

"We can afford to lose a few key worlds if we destroy the _Spear_." The Director countered.

"Director!" Madon exclaimed, horrified.

"The Director is correct sir," Maxxor assured him, "If the _Ascendant Spear_ is taken down we will be in a far better strategic position than we would be if we focused on protecting the targeted worlds."

"But all those people..." The Supreme Chancellor seemed shell-shocked. "Surely you don't agree with this Master Jedi?" Jay was quiet for a long moment as the three awaited his answer.

"Supreme Chancellor," He said, finally speaking, "You are correct in stating that we cannot simply allow the Empire to invade our worlds as they choose." A look of relief crossed the Chancellor's face, only to quickly morph back into apprehension when Jay continued; "However, we also cannot walk away from the threat of the _Ascendant Spear_."

"So what do you suggest, Master Jedi?" Maxxor asked.

"That you contact every Republic ship in the navy commander, and allocate the largest fleet to Duro, while dividing the remainder of available ships as they are needed among the ailing worlds."

"We'll still be shorthanded for the battle against the _Spear_." The Director protested. "You don't know how dangerous this ship is Master Jedi, it has dispatched entire planetary defense fleets on its own!"

"They won't be shorthanded." Jay said firmly, "Because I'm going with them."

"With all due respect," The Director said, "I'm not sure one Jedi, however powerful, is enough to turn the tide." Jay smiled.

"True, but I won't be the only Jedi there."

"What do you mean?" Maxxor asked.

"I'm going to send you the coordinates for the rendezvous point," Jay said, typing them into the holoprojector's input pad. "Have the fleet bound for Duros meet me there, me and ten other Jedi ships."

"Just what are you planning?" Madon asked curiously.

"Have faith in the Force." Jay responded cryptically. "The _Spear_ will be broken, the Republic will survive."

"Then may the Force be with us all." The Supreme Chancellor said, as one by one the three beings terminated their connections.

* * *

Nox brought his saber up to block Satele's attempted decapitation, he responded preemptively to her rapid series of blows and strikes with a smooth and efficient defensive sequence from Soresu, responding to a brief hesitation on her part with a blast of Force lightning that staggered her. She growled in pain and anger, glaring at him with a mixture of bloodlust and hatred. She came at him again, her impossibly fast sequences easily blocked by Nox, who seemed to know her every move before she even made it. Her guard dropped for an instant and Nox struck her temple with the hilt of his saberstaff, causing her to lose her balance, stumble, and fall, her own saberstaff clattering out of her hand. Nox approached her, but she made no move to flee. Upon reaching her, he extended a hand. She took it and he hauled her to her feet.

"Well done my child." He said, his cadence deliberately slow and drawn out. "You are truly worthy of being my firstborn."

Satele knelt down on one knee and bowed her head. "I live to serve you, father."

"And so you shall." Nox said, and Satele rose to her feet. "There is one last test for you to complete." Nox continued. "You will create your own synthetic crystal using the power I have given you. It will be a reflection of your true nature."

"As you command, master."

"Come." Nox turned and walked towards the elevator that lead up to the secret stronghold's ground floor. Satele followed him, and in minutes they were stepping out into the ancient ruins of Taris. They continued walking in silence for half a standard hour until they reached the entrance to the Rakghoul tunnels that lead into the abandoned transport system of the former ecumenopolis. "Descend into the depths, child. Take this," He held out his hand, revealing that he was holding a rare, white lightsaber crystal, an ultimate expression of the Force's purity. "Take the crystal into the depths of the tunnels, and perform the ritual. I will guide you from here, then you will return to me with the crystal, your rebirth complete."

"I understand master."

"Then go." Satele reached out and took the crystal from her master's hand, then headed into the darkness of the caves. As she went deeper and deeper into the network of tunnels carved by the foul creatures that dominated the ruined planet, she began to sense more and more rakghouls, and the miasma of death and decay became thicker and stronger. In her past life, Satele might have balked at the assault on her senses or tried to stabilize her emotions by connecting with the Force, now however, she drank it in. She fed off of the atmosphere of entropy that permeated the underworld, drawing strength from it, using the power it gave her to stave off the hungry, eyeless predators lurking in the shadows, starving for a taste of flesh.

She felt her master guiding her, felt his presence in the back of her mind, directing her steps and steering her sense of direction. He lead her to a large, open cavern with one other passage leading to it, besides the one she had emerged from. She could feel his will and knew that this was place where she was to conduct the ritual. She walked to the center of the cavern and placed the crystal and her lightsaber on the ground. Then she sat down cross-legged, closed her eyes, and entered a meditative trance.

The crystal began to levitate off the ground, tumbling end over end. Satele could hear the darkness whispering to her, guiding her thoughts as she felt it enter her and attach itself to the pure Force crystal. The dark energy in the cavern began to grow, and Satele felt the beautiful darkness beginning to consume and corrupt the crystal through her mind. Internally, she rejoiced as the dark tide swelled within her and she felt the light of purity fade to nothing more than a faint glimmer, then vanish.

She levitated her lightsaber next, disassembling it in midair to reveal the blue crystal inside. She let the crystal drop to the ground, and moved the newly corrupted purple crystal into its place, reassembling the lightsaber around it. Having finished the ritual, she felt a surge of depraved joy and reveled in the dark energies her weapon was now exuding.

Suddenly she heard an ear-splitting roar that jerked her from her trance, and the far wall of the cavern exploded in a storm of rock, dirt, and filth. Out of the cloud charged a sanguine rakghoul as big as a rancor, howling and snarling as it bore down on her. She leapt to her feet and activated her new lightsaber, the violet blade shining brightly in the darkness as she charged forward to meet her foe.

* * *

The Republic fleet that emerged from hyperspace over Duro quickly discovered they had flown straight into a one-sided battle. The Imperial invasion fleet attacking the planet, while small, still far outgunned the world's emergency defense flotilla, which was in a very bad way. Only two of the five capital ships remained, and most of the fighter and interceptor-class vessels had been crippled or destroyed. Imperial forces had already begun bombardment of the orbital cities and shipyards, and the fighters, boarding shuttles and interceptors launched from the bays of the newly arrived Republic ships hurried to run them off.

The battle remained one-sided, the only thing that changed was the side that was winning. The Imperial fleet quickly found itself fully on the defensive, as the sheer number of Republic vessels and the magnitude of their firepower overwhelmed them. In the depths of the flagship, the _Star Aegis_ , Jay-Li gathered with ten other Jedi knights and masters he had specifically chosen for this mission.

"Are we ready?" he asked.

"As ready as we could ever be." Master Lor'ek replied.

"Are we certain this is the correct course of action?" Jedi Knight Gerdon inquired. "I understand times are desperate, but surely no ship can stand against the might of the fleet assembled here."

"We're here to make certain of that." Jay responded with calm assurance. "We won't begin until we receive the signal from Commander Prake."

"I think you underestimate the power of the _Ascendant Spear_ Gerdon," Jedi Knight Ferek spoke up. "it has taken down fleets more than half the size of this one on its own."

"I sympathize with Gerdon's sentiment." Master Jee-ra said. "This is not a casual undertaking and it should be taken very seriously."

"Which it is." Jay affirmed. "I would not have called you all here to do this if I did not believe that it was entirely necessary."

Outside, the battle was beginning to end as the Imperial Forces tried desperately to retreat. One group of ships, a Star Destroyer and a few frigate-class cruisers managed to break away from the battle and began firing up their hyperdrives, dropping their shields to do so. In a flash, _The Ascendant Spear_ appeared from hyperspace not far from them and, in the space of a mere second, unleashed a barrage of perfectly-aimed shots that struck every ship in the escape group, ripping through their shields and causing them to explode in one massive nova. On the bridge of _The Star Aegis_ Fleet Commander Prake turned his head towards the young Selkath seated at navigation when she exclaimed: "The _Spear_ has arrived!"

"More power to weapons!" Prake barked, then he spoke into the channel connecting him with the rest of the fleet. "This is Fleet Commander Prake, all vessels converge on the _Ascendant Spear_ and prepare for battle!" He switched over to the private channel that gave him a direct line to Jay-Li. "It's time Master Jedi." He said grimly, "We're moving in on the _Spear_ as we speak."

"Roger." Jay said, and he closed the connection. He and the others would need complete privacy and solitude to perform what they were about to. He sat down in a cross-legged meditative pose and, taking the hint, his colleagues followed suit. They were sitting in a circle, each one relinquishing his thoughts and focusing solely on the Force. Their minds began to overlap, their wills merging into one as they surrendered themselves to the Force. Then their combined consciousness began to extend outward, expanding like an invisible bubble over the entirety of the Republic fleet. The minds of every crewman on every ship in the Republic fleet became linked, from the pilots of the fighters and crewmen of the light corvettes to the commanders of the massive Star Destroyers, every mind became synchronized to each other. The vessels moved with organic unity, each crew member operating in perfect sync with every other crewman in every other ship on the fleet.

The fleet moved in on the _Ascendant Spear_ like a single organism, an amoeba encircling its prey. With its longer range giving it the initiative, the _Spear_ opened fire first, unleashing multiple salvos and utilizing much of its arsenal in wild destruction. Some of the shots struck their targets, annihilating countless fighters, destroying the smaller capital ships in one shot, and heavily draining the larger vessel's shields. But many of the shots simply went wide, missing their targets and most other vessels by miles. The result was that the Republic fleet only suffered minor losses and managed to get in close enough to return the favor. As one the ships began to open fire, pelting the _Spear_ from all sides. Even with the extraordinary vessel's exemplary shielding capabilities, the sheer scale of the bombardment was enough to make the shields waver for a few moments.

The _Spear_ peeled off and began to charge for an opening in the fleet's encirclement left by some of the ships it had successfully destroyed. The Republic ships couldn't keep pace with the seemingly fleeing vessel as its superior speed allowed it to slip through the gap before the surrounding ships could close it. Immediately after passing through the gap, the _Spear_ unleashed another barrage at the ships surrounding the hole. Some of the shots struck their intended targets, destroying them with sheer firepower, but again, many of the attacks went wide. Regardless, the ship continued fleeing the Republic fleet, firing back at them in retreat. The escape from the three dimensional encirclement trap the Republic had attempted had effectively cut the pressure from enemy attacks down by two thirds or so and relegated the attacks to the aft shields, which Darth Karrid was obviously shunting power to.

The ships on the other side of the half-spherical formation were beginning to relocate around their allies, even as the ships firing on the _Spear_ tightened their formation to allow for more of the ships behind them to release their firepower in shorter order. The synchronicity with which the maneuvers were performed was eerie yet deadly, being reminiscent of the presence of a hive mind or some other collective consciousness. The maneuver proved to be detrimental however, when the _Spear_ suddenly turned hard to port and unleashed a devastating salvo that decimated the central formation. This time, each shot hit its mark directly, with an accuracy as uncanny as the unity with which the Republic fleet acted. The central formation began to disperse, as the remaining ships took evasive action.

The _Spear_ continued its course, coming about in a full 180 degree rotation and seizing on the advantage, raining fire down on the ships as they attempted to escape its weapons and regroup. Two more capital ships exploded, taking thousands of fighters with them. The _Spear's_ shields continued to take a beating from many of the remaining ships but they showed no sign of failing yet. Suddenly, the shields vanished, and the plasma bolts and ion blasts sank into the hull of the _Ascendant Spear_ , causing thousands of tiny explosions and creating hundreds of hull breaches. The vessel seemingly began to fire wildly, as if it were shooting blind, but it seemed to quickly regain control, its attacks became focused and direct. Two of the Hammerheads got caught in the ship's salvo and had their shields torn apart by the intense barrage, leaving them crippled and limping. The Republic fleet returned fire, but their attacks were once again deflected by the _Spear's_ shields, which were back in operation.

The ships that had escaped the carnage reformed and began focusing their fire on the upper starboard bow. The deflector shields flared as they repelled the attack, with a significant power drain. Suddenly a second salvo of fire struck the bilge amidships, as a two corvettes and a legion of fighters took advantage of the power reallocation to severely weaken the lower shields. Other ships began to join in pelting the _Spear_ from random directions, moving erratically yet in perfect conjunction. The _Spear's_ guns tried to keep up with all the moving targets, but it soon relegated itself to attacking and focusing on individual ships, eliminating them one at a time.

In the middle of chasing down a Corvette, the _Spear_ suddenly slowed, and its shields weakened noticeably, as lone blasts began to strike the hull in the more vulnerable areas. With the timely intervention of another Corvette and a Hammerhead, the _Spear's_ prey managed to escape. Turning to assault the ships who had robbed it of its target, the ship revealed the extent of its lost speed. The deflectors suffered an unusual amount of strain before it managed to get off a salvo that drove off the two capital ships. Despite the loss of response time, the _Ascendant Spear_ still held a tremendous amount of firepower, more than enough to engage the Republic fleet.

Out of nowhere however, the _Spear_ suddenly stopped attacking. It slowed to a crawl and simply took the incoming fire from the remains of the Republic fleet. The deflectors began to waver, then collapsed under the pressure, thousands of explosions rocked the vessel, and it began to list under the constant bombardment. Escape pods jettisoned from every side of the vessel, even as the ship began to fragment and fall apart. The fleet continued to bombard the _Spear_ even after the escape pods stopped launching, and after a few full minutes of the constant onslaught, the ship's now unstable power core began to overload. The ship suddenly erupted in a fireworks display of explosions, each one seemingly brighter and larger than the last, and then, the vessel was consumed in a brilliant white flash punctuated by the rapidly expanding ring of glowing energy that characterized a massive hypermatter explosion.

A spirit of jubilation spread across the remainder of the Republic fleet, as the Battle Meditation of the ten Jedi faded, it was replaced by an intense feeling of inspiration and outright joy. Crew members hugged each other, high-fived, or jumped up and down, pumping their fists in the air and whistling. The euphoria of victory filled the atmosphere of every vessel, momentarily unfettered by the pain of the losses they had suffered. On the bridge of the _Star Aegis_ , the scene was no different than anywhere else in the fleet. Commander Prake enjoyed the atmosphere of triumph as he watched his subordinates celebrate. By chance, his eyes happened to glance over at a nearby, abandoned terminal, they were being hailed. Patching the ship's comms into his own personal communicator, he answered the hail.

"Hey _Aegis_ ," A strange voice said in his ear. "Any chance me and my Jedi friend here can hitch a ride?"

"Who is this?" Commander Prake asked with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. There was a pause that went on for a while, then:

"This is SIS agent Theron Shan, I'm here with Jedi Master Gnost-Dural. We were on board the _Ascendant Spear_ trying to sabotage it, and we got away in an escape pod"

"Sabotage? Was that you that messed with their shields and targeting systems?"

"You can thank us for it later, preferably in person." Commander Prake smiled.

"Son, I'll do a lot more than that. I'm putting you in for as many commendations as I can, our losses would have been far more severe without your help."

"Always a pleasure to serve the Republic, Commander."

"Make for launch bay eight, welcome home heroes, welcome home."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Commander Prake and Jedi Masters Jay-Li, Lor'ek, and Miina stood in the launch bay in front of the escape pod, along with another 20 members of the _Star Aegis_ crew. The escape pod door popped open, and Theron and Gnost-Dural exited the craft as everyone assembled broke into a spontaneous round of applause and cheers. Even Jay joined in, clapping his gloved hands together rather enthusiastically for a Jedi.

"Welcome back." Commander Prake said when the two heroes reached him, snapping off a sharp salute.

"Looks like everyone showed up to say hi." Theron commented as he looked around at the assembled crew. It was Jedi Master Miina, giggling softly, who finally asked what everyone was thinking but didn't have the courage to say.

"Why are you two naked?"

"It's a long story." Theron said as the cheers and applause were interrupted by raucous laughter. Commander Prake signaled for the crew members to leave, which they did, but not without leaving Theron and Gnost-Dural with some hearty backslaps and handshakes. Prake indicated to one officer that he should fetch the two heroes some clothes to wear, and the man scurried off to do just that.

"Theron Shan..." Jay-Li mused as he clasped the young man's hand in a firm handshake, "Any relation to Satele Shan?" Theron sighed and shook his head.

"I told them I needed a codename." He muttered under his breath.

"Master Gnost-Dural." Master Miina said, bowing in greeting. "I didn't realize you found clothing uncomfortable." She teased.

"Less uncomfortable than dying." Gnost-Dural said, trying to ignore the jest, even though his cheeks were flushing a deeper orange. "I didn't have the time to grab anything on my way out."

"So..." Theron said hesitantly. "Where's my- I mean, where's the Supreme Commander?"

"What?" Commander Prake asked in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Theron corrected himself, shaking his head in what seemed like anger. "Nothing, forget I said anything."

"The Supreme Commander is on Coruscant, Theron." Jay-Li informed him, "He's fighting off an Imperial invasion."

"What?" Theron exclaimed. Gnost-Dural looked equally shocked. "I spoke to him only eight hours ago, when did this happen?"

"Ah." Master Lor'ek spoke up, shaking his head, making his lekku sway. "Then you spoke to the previous Supreme Commander before he died."

"Died?" Theron asked, his eyes glazing over, making him look like he was in a daze.

"Yes, truly a tragedy." Jay-Li continued, "But I'm afraid that's not the only bad news Theron."

"There's more?" Gnost-Dural asked with notes of dread and exasperation in his voice.

"Yes." Jay replied. "The Jedi Grandmaster Satele Shan...I'm afraid she's gone missing."

"Missing?" Theron asked. "Do you mean dead?" Jay shook his head.

"No. She's alive, just hidden from us. If she had died we would have sensed it."

"Get me a ship." Theron said, his tone indicating that he wasn't going to be talked out of it. "I'm going after her."

"Hold on a moment Theron." Jay said, slightly puzzled at the man's apparent overreaction.

"No. Get me a ship, I have to get out there."

"And just how do you expect to find her?" Jay asked.

"I'll think of something." Theron replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She went missing during a time of crisis with no evidence to go on." Master Miina pointed out. "How do you expect to find her without a trail to follow?"

"I-" Theron paused as he reluctantly came to the logical conclusion. "I guess you're right. Forget about it."

"We don't have to." Jay said, and Theron gave a sigh of exasperation. "Will you make up your mind?"

"My mind is irrelevant." Jay-Li said. "Yours on the other hand could lead us straight to her."

"What do you mean?" Theron asked suspiciously.

"I mean if you have some sort of personal connection to her, a special bond of some sort-"

"No." Theron said, a little more abruptly and firmly than he intended. "The Grandmaster and I know each other that's all. There's no special bond or anything like that."

"Still," Gnost-Dural said. "Your expertise could prove valuable in the search for her."

"Like you guys said." Theron replied. "If you can't find her how am I supposed to help?"

"That is exactly the point." Jay-Li said. "We cannot locate her through the Force, and while Master Miina is correct about there being a lack of evidence, We know what her last location was, and there were signs of a struggle, so it is reasonable to believe she did not go willingly, in which case-"

"-there's likely to be some clues left behind." Theron finished the thought. "Alright, so when do we leave?"

"As soon as you two get dressed." Jay said, as the officer returned with their change of clothes.

* * *

Satele sat cross-legged in the center of the circle of light filtering down from above. All around she was surrounded by pitch-black darkness that was as deep as the void. She was attired in the same robes she always wore, only now they were black with purple trim. Her hair, once pulled back in a tight bun, now flowed freely down the back of her neck, its silver color reflecting the light coming down from overhead. Her brow creased in concentration as she tried to expand her awareness, then suddenly she leaped to her feet, igniting her lightsaber just in time to block the incoming blow. Nox had struck at her from the darkness, seemingly emerging from it as if he had been formed of it. Their blades clashed, violet against violet, then, as fast as he had appeared, Nox vanished into the darkness again, seemingly melting into it.

Satele stood in ready stance, waiting for the next blow to come. She barely sensed it in time to parry it as it came from behind her, and her counterattack came too little too late, as Nox was already retreating, fading into the shadows.

"Do not trust your eyes, child." Came his disembodied voice out of the black. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, perhaps it was just in her head. "They are too easy for the darkness to deceive." She almost didn't catch the next attack in time, because it came quickly after he finished speaking, too quickly. "Do not trust your ears," he admonished her, "the silence of the void will whisper lies to you if you listen too closely." She managed to dodge his next attack, an eerily noiseless overhand leaping strike, and attempted a counter attack, only to find him already gone, having vanished back into the darkness. "Do not trust your mind, for it will conspire against you with the dark." She waited for the attack this time, steeling herself for it, but it never came, there was only darkness and silence.

She heard the hiss of a lightsaber activating, looking down, she saw the purple blade had impaled her abdomen. She gasped in horror, preparing herself for the pain. Then the lightsaber blade vanished, the hum of the magnetic field disappeared without an deactivation sound, and she saw that her body was whole and uninjured. She realized it had been an illusion. Suddenly the hiss of a real lightsaber blade reached her ears, and she looked back up to see Nox standing in front of her, pointing the tip of his blade directly at her face. This was no illusion, she could feel the heat of the plasma and see the currents of energy roiling beneath the weapon's magnetic wall. She stared into the cold, black eye sockets of her master's helm for a long moment, then he deactivated his lightsaber and she bowed in acquiescence.

"You are not trying, daughter." He accused.

"I am father, please believe me!" She said as earnestly as she could.

"Did you think that replacing your lightsaber crystal and changing your robes made you worthy?" Nox hissed.

"No master, I do not!" She protested, attempting to placate him.

"That rite of First Blood was merely the final step in your initiation. If you are to carry out my will, you must be strong enough, fast enough, cunning enough..." he paused. "and ruthless enough." He nodded his head at something behind her. Satele turned her head and saw, to her shock, her son. Theron was kneeling at the very edge of the circle of light, his face was bruised, cut, and scorched, and there were many places where his clothes were torn or seared through, revealing burns and bleeding wounds. He looked up at her, his eyes full of pain and questions.

"Why mom?" He asked in a gasping, breathless voice. "Why did you do it?" Satele stood perfectly still, staring at her son.

"I had him abducted especially for you." Nox said from behind her, his tone deceptively soft despite the underlying hint of malice to it. "I tortured him to soften him up for you."

"WHY?!" Theron yelled at her. "Why did you do it!? Why did you leave me?! You abandoned me!" He looked at her lightsaber. "And now you're about to do it again, for good this time."

"Kill him." Her master demanded. She hesitated. "KILL HIM!" Nox bellowed, his voice echoing in the darkness. Satele began to slowly walk towards her helpless son, gripping her saberstaff tightly. When she reached him, she reared it back in an executioner's swing. She caught his gaze, and she saw everything in his eyes; his resentment, his pain, his long-dead affection for her, his fear of death, and she understood. He hated her, for leaving him as an infant, for never being a mother to him, even when she had the chance, for denying them the close relationship they should have had. He would never forgive her, ever. She swung, the blade sliced through flesh, and Theron's headless, now lifeless body toppled to the floor, the head rolling away out of the light.

"Good." Her master praised her, as he slowly stepped back into the darkness, vanishing into it. "You are learning."

* * *

Jay-Li, Gnost-Dural, and Theron made their way through the wilds of Tython, following a trail that had been forged very recently, leading from the Jedi Temple up into the mountains. They'd only been following the trail for twelve minutes when Theron called to the two Jedi from up ahead. Rushing to catch up, they burst into a large clearing to see Theron squatting on the ground, looking at something. He spoke to them as they approached, standing to his feet.

"The trail ends here." He said. "There was a starship parked here, big, heavy, almost capital ship size." Jay looked around. The clearing was only large enough to accommodate a ship shorter than 120 meters, there weren't that many ship models in the either the Imperial or Republic fleets in that size range, and considering that at least one, if not more, of the ship's crew members defeated the Jedi Grandmaster in combat, there were very few ship models that were potential suspects.

"We're looking for an Imp VIP." Theron said, giving voice to Jay's thoughts. "Most likely Sith."

"So we know it was a Sith." Jay said, "The question is, which one?"

"They'd have to be powerful enough to take on Grandmaster Satele," Gnost-Dural mused. "Either in single combat or with some assistance."

"What about multiple attackers?" Theron asked. "It could have been an entire squad of commandos, this could have been an Imperial military operation."

"Unlikely." Gnost-Dural said. "I sensed the residual Dark Side energy along the trail, if the Sith weren't directly responsible, then they were at least involved. They also couldn't have gotten a large number of combatants into the Temple and down to the secret meditation chamber without at least one of them being discovered, so there must have been no more than three or four combatants."

"So we're looking for one or more powerful, high-ranking Sith who could possibly defeat the Grandmaster." Jay-Li affirmed.

"My first guess would be Darth Rictus." Gnost-Dural said. "As the head of the Sith's official order of assassins, he would be our most likely culprit."

"But Darth Rictus would have killed her, not kidnapped her." Jay-Li pointed out. "The Sith who took her had a reason for doing so, he likely has plans in the works, and he needs her for some reason."

"That's actually a good point." Theron said, and Gnost-Dural relented.

"Then who else could it be?" He asked, partly to himself.

"What about Darth Vowrawn?" Jay-Li asked. "He's supposed to be in charge of the vast majority of the Empire's slave trade."

"But why go to all this trouble just to kidnap the Grandmaster?" Gnost-Dural rebutted. "It's a waste of time and resources for what could only be a vain trophy. From my studies of the Dark Council I can assure you that Darth Vowrawn is many things, but he is not vain to the point of insanity."

"Maybe we should return to the Temple," Theron suggested. "We can research the SIS database and Jedi archives to try and determine who the culprit might be."

The two Jedi exchanged glances, then nodded their assent, and the three of them headed back down the mountain.

* * *

Satele stood naked, covered head to toe in rakghoul pheromones, and unarmed, watching in rage as a small horde of rakghouls scrambled across the main chamber of the complex, snarling and growling. She reached out with her mind, and summoned the power of the Dark Side, seizing the minds of the simple creatures, crushing their wills, until they all finally stopped and awaited her mental commands. She turned her gaze on her master, and sent the creatures rushing to assault him.

Her master stood perfectly still, until they got within ten meters of him, then he held his left hand out as it crackled with raw energy. He suddenly moved it in a large, exaggerated sweeping motion, creating a wave of electricity that instantly fried the rakghouls and struck her. If she hadn't shielded herself, it would have injured her too, instead it sent her flying back a few meters to land on her backside, the filthy durasteel floor scraping against her slime-covered skin.

She scrambled to her feet, preparing herself for the next round. Her master held up a single-button remote, and pressed it. The next group of cages opened, and a fresh wave of rakghouls attacked.

* * *

The two Jedi hovered over Theron's shoulders as the three of them examined the SIS and Jedi profiles on the current members of the Dark Council at one of the few terminals in the Jedi Archives that was still functioning. The Archives themselves had been protected well enough, but the Sith had been able to disable most of the power lines, leaving only the emergency terminals, which ran on battery power, working. The newest members, of which Darth Karrid had been one, had rather scant amount of information on them. They hadn't been on the Dark Council nearly long enough to be accurately profiled, and they had been in the upper ranks of the Sith long enough to have avoided close examination by the various SIS and Jedi "assets" within the Empire's ranks. Sith, especially Darths, were entitled to privacy and secrecy, so it took time to gather even small amounts of information on high-ranking members of the order.

"What about Darth Nalik?" Gnost-Dural asked. "I've seen his kind before, perhaps he plans to attempt to study Grandmaster Shan in an attempt to further his knowledge of the Dark Side."

"Nah, his whereabouts are accounted for during the battle." Theron pointed out. "As are the whereabouts of the other two besides Nalik and Karrid."

"Which ones were seen during the attacks?" Jay-Li asked.

"Umm..." Theron said, scrolling down to find the list. "Ah, here we go; Darth Mortis, Darth Ravage, Darth Aruk, Darth Marr..."

"Look at the ones that were unaccounted for," Gnost-Dural said, pointing at the spot. "Darth Vowrawn, and Darth Nox." Jay felt his blood grow cold.

"Nox?" he asked. "Are you sure?"

"It says his personal flagship, the _Black Hole_ , was present during the attack on Tython," Theron said, reading from the page. "But the transmissions intercepted during the battle show no sign of him personally communicating with anyone." It took a moment, but the same realization that had descended on Jay settled on Theron and Gnost-Dural, as they started to put the last pieces of the puzzle into place.

"Theron, was Darth Vowrawn's flagship seen in either of the battles?" Gnost-Dural asked.

"No." Theron said blankly, staring at the screen with a hollow look in his eye. "All intel from the Black Cipher indicates he was held in reserve for the follow-up invasions."

"Then we have our culprit." Master Gnost-Dural said, his voice hardening with resolve.

"We can't waste any time." Theron said with sudden conviction. "We have to find out where he's keeping her."

"Then let's start by locating his nearest known hideout." Gnost-Dural suggested. He glanced over at Jay, who was staring ahead like he was in a daze. "Master Jay-Li, are you alright?" Jay shook his head to clear it, then he pulled a data stick out of a pocket in his robes, handing it to Theron.

"Here," he said, "use this."

"What is it?"

"It contains a profile of Darth Nox I downloaded from the Jedi Archives several months ago." Gnost-Dural and Theron turned to regard him.

"You have some experience with this Sith?" Gnost-Dural asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Jay replied gloomily. "And rest assured that if he has Satele, she is in danger of suffering a fate far worse than death."

* * *

Satele screamed as the lightning enveloped her, searing her clothes, burning her flesh, and overloading her nervous system. Her master ceased his persecution of her, not even allowing her a moment to catch her breath before he continued speaking.

"So if you one day hope to utilize true Sith lightning, you must first be a victim of it." He unleashed another stream of the torturous bolts and she screamed again as the pain exploded in her skull, but she hung on. Every time she had passed out during the previous attempts at this lesson he had forced her to take a few hours of rest before they would do it all over again from the beginning. The stream lapsed and Nox began speaking again.

"It will change you, in both body and mind." He said, punctuating the statement with another round of the painful volts. "But remember..." he said when he allowed it to subside, "that Sith lightning, like the Dark Side, does not debilitate the practitioner as much as it debilitates those who lack it." Satele gasping for breath, took his hesitation in renewing her torture as a possible indication that she had completed the lesson.

"I-understand, master." she gulped.

"Gooood." He replied, before unleashing his power on her again.

Jay-Li's personal starship, the _Beacon_ , dropped out of hyperspace near Taris. For days the three men had been locating and infiltrating the various hideouts of Nox's that were known to the Jedi and the SIS. They were about halfway done, and tensions were beginning to wear thin. They slept in shifts, taking turns having one person pilot the ship through hyperspace to the next planet while the other two slept. Then on the next two trips, that person would get to sleep while the others took their turns piloting. They'd been able to go on this way for almost a week but the exhaustion was starting to get to even the Jedi.

Theron took the ship into an approach vector, careful to keep the planet situated as much between him and the two Imperial space stations in orbit, one of which had once belonged to the Republic, as possible. Master Jay-Li walked into the cockpit a few minutes after they started breaking atmo, and Gnost-Dural followed soon after. Together, they watched as Theron took the ship into a low-flying position to avoid detection, until they found a place big enough to land the 94 meter-long ship relatively near the target coordinates.

After several minutes of creeping through the jungle, cloaked with the Force and stealth technology, they arrived at the entrance to the enemy's hideout. There were no guards or detectable traps of any kind, nonetheless they moved carefully. Finally reaching the passage leading into the underground fortress, they continued their cautious progress. Chamber by chamber they searched the premises, finding nothing but the signs of recent habitation and the aroma of the Dark Side. Following the scent, the two Jedi lead Theron deeper into the complex, until they arrived at the deepest chamber. As soon as they turned the corner, they saw what was causing the disturbance in the Force. A lone figure, wearing a long, black robe and shrouded in a visible aura of darkness, kneeled in a meditative pose facing away from the door. The being was on a platform on the other side of a metal bridge that passed over what seemed to have once been a track for the old transport system, which was now completely covered in dirt, with both of the tunnels on either end of the room blocked by ancient cave-ins.

The three of them crossed the bridge and decloaked once they reached the platform on the other side, Theron was the first to train his weapon on the figure. "Hands where I can see 'em, now!" He barked.

"Is that any way to treat your mother?" A voice he recognized asked in a tone that he didn't.

"What?" Theron gasped, staggered by the remark. The figure stood up and removed its hood, revealing shoulder-length silvery hair. She turned around and Theron nearly dropped his blaster when he saw who it was who was standing before them. "Mother..." he whispered, his voice shot through with shock and horror.

"Grandmaster Shan," Master Gnost-Dural said, his voice a mixture of sadness and dread, "What did he do to you?"

"He showed me the way." Satele said.

"Where is he?" Jay-Li asked, a hint of eagerness and desperation in his voice.

"You won't stop him." Satele said matter-of-factly. "He controls everything, has a contingency for every failure, a plan for every situation. He's already gone, he'll escape this planet and you will never see him until it's too late."

"Is "he" Darth Nox?" Master Gnost-Dural asked.

"Of course." Satele said, as if it was a stupid question. "My master is darkness incarnate," she said, drawing her lightsaber, "and I am his loyal servant." She activated the blade, revealing the violet color. "Now, Republic filth," she said, gripping her lightsaber in a ready stance, "defend yourselves!"

* * *

Theron watched as Satele Shan, his mother, attacked Jedi Masters Gnost-Dural and Jay-Li. Despite the skills of the two men, Satele managed to stand her ground with a combination of Force-assisted acrobatics, defensive lightsaber sequences, and potent shots of Force lightning. Theron made a break for cover, taking a few shots at her lightsaber and limbs, hoping to disarm her or, at the very worst, cripple her. But she easily deflected his bolts right back at him, and they scorched the ground moments after his boots left it as he dived behind a set of crates. She leaped up and backflipped over the two Jedi to land squarely on the railing of the bridge. The two Jedi Masters followed suit, each one leaping onto the railing to stand on either side of her, and they continued the battle on the virtual tightrope of the railing top.

Satele managed to land a kick to Gnost-Dural's chest, and he staggered back, losing his footing and falling into the dirt-filled track hole below. She leaped off the railing, her lightsaber poised to impale him, but he rolled to the side at the last minute, used the momentum to propel himself to his feet, and engaged her once again. Jay-Li leaped off of the railing, somersaulting over Satele's head, the spinning green blades of his saberstaff threatening to split her skull. She deflected the airborne attack and continued to engage the two Jedi, while deflecting Theron's shots back at the crates he was using for cover.

Theron kept taking shots, ducking behind cover whenever Satele managed to deflect a few back in his direction. The two Jedi Masters were keeping her busy, but she more than held her own, leaping, somersaulting, and darting in circles around them like a ghost. Jay-Li held a steady, Soresu defense that focused on harrying Satele with entangling sequences and burdening her through the Force, while Master Gnost-Dural utilized the semi-defensive patterns of Djem So to turn the Grandmaster's strength against her and take advantage of openings with immediate counter-attacks. Satele somehow managed to stay ahead of them both, despite Ataru's inherent weakness against multiple opponents, she was simply too fast and nimble for them to seize any real advantage.

She landed a Force Kick on Gnost-Dural that sent him flying several meters backward to roll and unceremoniously come up on one knee. She turned on Jay-Li with inexorable fury and astonishing speed, unleashing an impossible barrage of attacks that only Jay's efficient and unnaturally accurate parries and blocks managed to stop. She came in with a sweeping decapitation slash, and Jay parried it with a spinning motion. She followed it up immediately with a jagged double strike at his shoulder and thigh, which he blocked with astounding foresight. She executed a front flip over his head, striking with her lightsaber even as she sailed over top of him, and deflecting a few shots from Theron, but Jay still managed to defend himself from her airborne assault.

She landed, and extended her hand, palm outward. A wave of Force power slammed into Jay with the power of a starship. He managed a brief moment of resistance before the sheer power of the attack sent him flying back just as Gnost-Dural leaped at Satele, his lightsaber poised to cleave her saberstaff in half if she tried to block his strike. Instead, she moved with preternatural speed, slipping under him and charging straight for Jay. The Jedi Master barely managed to get his own saberstaff into position in time to deflect the incoming flurry of blows, even so, he was driven backward by the sheer intensity of the attack. Gnost-Dural rejoined the battle with a set of twin strikes meant to force her to defend herself, but instead she melded her attack with a series of acrobatic movements that allowed her to dodge his strikes while continuing the assault on Master Jay-Li.

The two Jedi Masters attacked her from both sides, forcing her to defend two fronts simultaneously, but she took to the situation in murderous stride. Her offensive sequences were not interrupted by their attacks, rather she melded defense and offense perfectly, every dodge became a counter-strike, and every attack forced the victim to defend themselves in such a way that a counterattack would expose a weakness in their technique. Theron watched the battle closely as he took shot after shot at Satele, despite the fact that all three Jedi were mostly a blur, even to his technologically enhanced vision, he could tell that the Jedi were more concerned with defending themselves and harrying the Grandmaster than actually winning the fight. He began to wonder if they had given up and were merely hoping to survive the encounter rather than succeed in the mission, but that didn't fit with what he knew about either of them, or about Jedi in general. Jedi had very little fear of dying in his experience, due to their belief that death wasn't an ending, but the beginning of a new kind of existence. If Gnost-Dural and Jay-Li were playing it safe, there had to be a reason for it, some strategy they were working on.

Theron racked his brain as he poked his head over the metal crate he was using for cover to take a few more shots at Satele, sifting through his knowledge of the various factors involved in Jedi strategy and tactics. Suddenly, his eye caught sight of an access terminal a few meters away, and he holstered his blaster and scurried over to it, slicing it in a matter of seconds and searching the ancient mainframe for the systems he was looking for. He couldn't hope to help the two Jedi subdue Satele with the peashooter on his hip, but he had other talents that could be far more useful, if only he could find the right network...

Satele pressed the attack on Master Jay-Li, forcing him to retreat, even as Gnost-Dural chased her, trying to attack her from behind. She skillfully turned her attacks on Jay into parries of Gnost-Dural's strikes by twisting and turning as she pursued her prey. She punctuated a mid-air half roll half spin with a Force shockwave upon landing that blasted both Jedi Masters back several feet, it was at that moment that Theron's voice came through both Jedi's earpieces in a loud, harsh command that prompted an instinctual response from both of them.

"Shield yourselves!" Theron said as he pressed one final button on the access console. Jay-Li raised his hands as if placing them on two pillars on either side of him, spreading his feet in a wide, immoveable stance, and a transparent, gold-tinged barrier of shimmering energy radiated out from his center until it surrounded him completely. Gnost-Dural placed his own hands against an invisible barrier that quickly materialized, and a second later, the entire chamber was filled with a storm of energy as the various hijacked systems of the ancient transit station unleashed every last bit of power that remained. Satele was immediately caught in the maelstrom and screamed as the electricity flowed through her. Were it not for her innate and unconscious Force defenses she likely would have been killed instantly, as it was she survived the brief flash of energy, but was momentarily stunned by the experience.

With a flourish, Gnost-Dural extended his hand, and the dazed Grandmaster was sent flying back into the rocks blocking the far entrance to the station. She growled, straining against his will, and slowly began to peel herself off of the makeshift wall. Jay-Li stepped forward, cupping his hands as he extended them out towards her, a white and gold aura of energy forming around them. A similar aura formed around Satele, and the twin energy fields glowed brighter and brighter in response to each other. Satele staggered, clutching her head, trembling uncontrollably, and crying out in pain. The auras faded, and because Master Gnost-Dural was no longer holding her back with his will, she stumbled freely forward. Theron, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Will she be ok?" He asked Jay as the Jedi Master leaned over, supporting himself with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily and looking pale and weary.

"Yes." Jay managed to breathe the word.

"Let's get her back to the _Beacon_." Gnost-Dural said, "She needs rest and comfort, and possibly medical attention." Theron looked down at his mother's face as he reached down and swept up her legs, carrying her small body, which seemed all the more tiny and fragile now, into his arms.

"Yeah." He said. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

Satele woke to a startlingly bright light glaring into her eyes. She bolted upright in the medbay bed, her eyes darting around the room, not landing on Theron before he seized her wrist. She reflexively moved to twist out of his grip and attack him when his familiar voice broke through her panic.

"Mom! It's me! Relax." Satele felt the fear and tension drain out of her body in an instant. She collapsed back onto the pillow, and turned to regard her son, who was now leaning over her.

"Theron," she breathed, "what happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the medbay of the Barsen'thor's personal starship." He said immediately, then he added, "The rest is...a rather long story." He shifted uncomfortably, as if trying to ward away a painful memory. It was then that Satele noticed the quiet hum of a hyperdrive and the distortion in the Force that always occupied her mind when she was in hyperspace.

"Theron I need to know what happened." She said, trying to keep her voice low and calm.

"You were kidnapped," He relented. "by a member of the Dark Council named Darth Nox. He...did things to you."

"What kind of things?" Satele's voice rose despite her best efforts.

"When we found you, you weren't yourself." Theron explained. "You were somebody else, a very dangerous somebody."

"What happened?"

"We subdued you, Master Jay-Li, Gnost-Dural, and I. Then we carried you back to the ship, and now we're heading back to Tython." Satele noted the slight tremor in the Force when he said that they had all carried her that suggested the statement was a partial lie. It only took her a few seconds to deduce that he must have been the one to carry her all the way to the ship, but she let the matter slide with only a slight, hidden smile passing across her lips.

"Thank you." She said, briefly placing a hand on Theron's own. A sudden realization came to her, "You called me mom." She said surprised.

"Yeah, about that." Theron said, his voice taking on a firm, determined tone. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"This." he said, moving his index finger from pointing at himself to her and back again. "This weird relationship we have where treat each other like strangers or at best, colleagues."

"Theron, you know attachments are forbidden."

"And yet here I am." He said pointedly. Satele turned away.

"I lost my father before I even got the chance to get to know him better," Theron said. The statement brought the memories of Jace's death rushing back to her, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to stem the emotions welling up in her. "I'm not going to let that happen again with the only parent I have left."

"Theron..."

"No, don't, you are not shutting me down."

"This is-"

"I don't care what it is!" He said, rather loudly. "I'm done being angry, I'm done being aloof, I'm done being stoic." Realizing he was shouting, he paused and lowered his voice. "I want us to be the family we should have been." He took her hand in his own. Satele took a deep breath, withdrew her hand from his, and spoke cautiously.

"Theron, you know the Jedi, let alone the members of the High Council, are forbidden to have attachments."

"And yet here I am." Theron repeated his earlier statement.

"What happened with your father was-"

"Was what, a mistake?"

"No!" She protested. "It was in defiance of the Jedi Code, it was the result of my own rebellion and stubbornness."

"I don't believe that." Theron said softly. "You know what I think? I think it was the result of two people following their hearts, and doing what is only natural." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I think it was the result of one woman realizing that the Jedi Code wasn't right about everything, and that some parts of sentient nature are non-negotiable. Holding back your emotions? Denying yourself the right to feel? Suppressing your feelings every moment of every day? There's no way that's healthy and you know it."

"And what happens if I do die?" Satele asked, as calmly and coolly as she could, sitting up in the bed to look him directly in the eyes. "What will you do then?"

"I'll miss you." Theron said, with equal calm but firm conviction. "But I won't levy unnecessary punishment on any of those responsible for your death. I'll seek justice, not vengeance." Satele shook her head.

"You may think that now," she said, "but your mind will change when you're confronted with a real situation."

"Attachments aren't evil." Theron said with vigorous passion. "It's not about never becoming attached, it's about learning to let go when the time comes."

"But not everyone is strong enough to deal with the pain of loss." Satele rebutted, struggling to hide the emotion threatening to creep into her voice, as the conversation brought painful memories flooding back.

"Which is why you share that painful burden with others who care about you." Theron replied. "Besides," he reached for her hand again, sandwiching it between both of his, "you're one of the strongest people I know." Satele tried to hold back the passions welling up inside her, but the willpower she had used countless times over the decades to suppress her emotions was suddenly gone, as if it had deserted her. The cool detachment she normally felt had completely vanished, and she was now fighting alone against years and years of pent-up emotion, an unstoppable tide that crashed over like a tsunami.

"I'm sorry." She said, as a single tear, then another, and another, began to fall down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." Theron embraced her, and the moment her face touched his shoulder she felt the dam burst, and she wept for the first time in thirty years.

* * *

Jay walked down the aisle towards the stage that had been set up in the Avenue of the Core Founders, all around him were crowds of people, Jedi, military, and ordinary citizenry cheering loudly and boisterously. As he approached the stage he saw acting Supreme Chancellor Madon and Supreme Commander Maxxor standing with several members of the Jedi High Council. They were all applauding him and smiling. It had been one month since the attacks on Coruscant and Tython and the subsequent invasions of various planets in Republic space. What the Empire hadn't conquered and annexed they had ravaged and destroyed. Entire systems lay in ruins due to the Empire's merciless assaults on the Republic, and it had gorged itself on as much of their resources as possible, recouping its losses of the past year in matter of mere weeks. Because of this, it was almost alien to him to see Republic citizens so enthused and excited about anything.

He mounted the stage via a small set of steps and approached the podium, but upon reaching it he found he didn't know what to say. The cheering continued for quite a while, and he noticed his beloved wife Nadia applauding in the front row, with a smile as big as star system. He smiled at her before forcing himself to look away and scan the massive crowd that had gathered for the ceremony, it was much bigger than he anticipated. Finally he realized that the applause and cheers were beginning to die down, and so as not to seem prideful or full of himself, he signaled for quiet. When the crowd began to obey, he found himself racking his brain for what to say, when the words of Yuon Par came to him: The Force is our help in all things Padawan, not just in combat or pursuit. It can help us do with our words what we could never do with our lightsabers. He mentally steadied himself, forcing his mind to become calm, composed, and organized, then he let the Force flow through his thoughts, and the words came as smoothly and easily as a babbling brook.

"My friends, my colleagues, comrades, and fellow citizens of the Republic." He began. "We have been dealt a great blow by our enemies, of this there is no doubt. They sought to take away our homes, our families, our loved ones, and our belief in a better, freer future. I am here today to tell you that they have failed! The Empire's vicious attack on our home worlds may have broken buildings, destroyed livelihoods, and even hurt many of our friends, neighbours, and loved ones, but despite what they have taken from us, they have not, nor will they ever, take away the things which we value the most: our love, our unity, our hope, and our freedom. I come before you to ask who among you will stand with us, as we bear each other up, rebuild what has been broken, retake that which we have lost, and show our enemies that we will not be bowed, we will not be broken, and we will not surrender!" A great cheer rose up from the crowd as appendages of all sizes, colors, and shapes pumped the air or waved Republic banners. Jay-Li stepped to the side and turned to face Master Bela Kiwiiks as she approached the podium and stood on the opposite side of it, facing him as well.

"Jedi Master Jay-Li, Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order, and member of the Jedi high Council," She began. "Your service to the Order, the Council, and the Republic has been nothing short of exemplary over the past three years. You have proven yourself at every turn to be loyal to the Jedi Code, and a dutiful servant of the Republic. If not for you, The Jedi Order would be shrouded in darkness, and the Republic would be weakened and splintered. Your service to this council over the past year has been nothing short of astounding. Your leadership, your humility, your compassion, and your willingness to serve the greater good have been second to none. In light of this, the council has offered you the position of Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. Do you accept?" Jay felt time stop, and a disturbance in the Force penetrate his awareness. His eyes briefly flicked past Master Kiwiiks and spotted two men, both as pale as apparitions and rather translucent, standing at the far edge of the crowd. with a start he realized he was seeing Master Rajivari and Master Syo Bakarn, standing side by side, watching him with unmistakable looks of sorrow. Suddenly they vanished, and his eyes snapped back to Master Kiwiiks, who was still staring straight at him.

"Yes." He said, and the whole crowd erupted in cheers and celebration. Jay shook hands with everyone on the platform before taking a seat on the stage among the members of the council. The Supreme Chancellor and a few Senators spoke, but the ceremony ended not long after. As people began to approach the outdoor banquet prepared for the occasion, Jay went to the spot where he had seen his two teachers standing. As he stood there, staring at the spot, he felt a hand fall on his shoulder, and he whirled around in surprise to meet the kind, green eyes of Master Yuon Par.

"Hello, Grandmaster." She said, beaming with pride.

"Master Yuon!" Jay-Li exclaimed, embracing the slight elderly woman in a fierce hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Be careful young one." She said in a bemused tone, "I'm not as young as I used to be." Realizing she was talking about the intensity of the embrace, Jay released her and apologized profusely.

"I'm so sorry Master," he said apologetically, "today I'm just..."

"Yes, I can only imagine." She said empathetically. "There is a lot of responsibility on those broad shoulders now." She said placing her hands on the aforementioned shoulders. "But I know you are up to the task, my old padawan. Oh it seems like only yesterday we were seeking the First Blade on Tython." She sighed mournfully. "Why must you young ones always grow up so fast!"

Jay-Li chuckled softly. "So that we can make enough mistakes to become wise old Jedi Masters."

"Well I don't know about wise..." She said with self-deprecating humor, "but I certainly am old."

"And yet you are no less vibrant, energetic, or intelligent than you were in your youth." Jay said honestly. She gave him a playful slap on the shoulder.

"Come now, padawan, don't flatter me. I'm old not witless."

"It's not flattery if it's true Master." Jay said. "I will need your council in the coming years, so I need you to stay young enough to outlive me, otherwise I'll never been any good to the Jedi or the Republic as Grandmaster."

"Now see here!" Yuon Par declared emphatically. "You are every bit capable of being a fine Grandmaster on your own! You don't need someone, least of all me, to tell you what the right thing to do is, I trained you well enough to know that!" despite the scolding, Jay didn't want to concede the point just yet.

"I just don't think I can fill Satele's shoes." He protested. "She was a legend long before I even joined the order. I've only been a full-fledged Jedi for three years and a Jedi Master for two, how am I supposed to live up to the legacy her and her predecessors left behind."

"Jay," Yuon said in a soft, motherly voice, "you don't have to live up to a legacy, that isn't your job. It's not your fault Satele abdicated her position and left the Temple, and it's not your fault the Council chose you to succeed her. What is your job is to do the very best you know how to do. Don't try to live up to anyone's legacy, create your own legacy. Do what Grandmaster Jay would do, not what Grandmaster Satele or Grandmaster Zym would do." Realizing she was right, Jay conceded.

"You're right," he agreed, "but even so I want you to stick around a good long time Master Yuon."

"Ooooo, come here!" She said, embracing him in a hug as fierce as his own had been several minutes ago. "You'll do just fine." She said into his ear in a soft voice. They released each other and Yuon noticed Nadia waving them over to the celebration. "Now come on," she said, tugging on his hand. "We can't keep your wife waiting." Jay stopped dead in his tracks.

"You know about that?" He asked, fear and apprehension creeping into his voice.

"I'm old, not blind." Yuon said with a laugh. "You can't hide these things from me young one. I know how the Council would react so I'm not going to tell anyone," her face grew momentarily solemn and serious, "but I will warn you that if you don't learn how to let go of the people you love when the time comes, it will cause more suffering and pain than you could ever imagine." She spoke with the heaviness of someone who knew from experience what exactly she was talking about. Jay's mind was awhirl, but Yuon set it back on track. "Now come young one, introduce me to your wife and lets catch up, it's been so long since I've seen you and the Grandmaster has to make appearances at these things." She pulled him towards the celebration, linking her arm with his so he couldn't slip away, and they left the site of the apparition appearances, still vibrating softly in the Force, behind.

* * *

"My lords." The young human female bowed before the Dark Council after the black-clothed pureblood standing beside her confirmed Nox's prior suspicions regarding the existence of the organization known as "The Emperor's Hand" by claiming to be a representative of the Emperor and introduced the young woman as Darth Acina, the Emperor's chosen candidate for the now empty seat of Darth Karrid.

"Darth Acina," Marr replied, "if the Emperor has tapped you to replace the late Darth Karrid I'm sure you will make a fine addition to the Council."

"Thank you, my lord." Acina said with what sounded like sincere gratitude.

"You may simply refer to me as Marr." The Dark Council member corrected. "We are peers now, as is everyone in these chambers."

"As you say, Darth Marr." Acina complied.

"You may take your seat." Darth Marr advised, nodding towards the empty chair, and Acina ascended the dais and took her seat with a remarkably restrained professionalism Nox found both enlightening and concerning. This one is composed, disciplined, he thought to himself. I won't be able to manipulate her as easily as I could have manipulated Karrid, and she might prove hard to conceal things from. I will have to watch her closely.

"The Emperor congratulates you on the significant progress you have made in humbling the Republic and restoring the glory of the Empire, members of the Dark Council." The representative said in what appeared to be his departing statement. "He knows you will capitalize on this success and turn it into the momentum necessary to finish this war."

"And what would he have us do about the rumors of his death that are spreading like a cancer through Imperial society?" Darth Aruk asked.

"As always," the servant replied, "do what is best for the Empire." Satisfied, Aruk sat back in his seat. Nox knew what Aruk's solution to the problem would be, no doubt he had only sought an answer from the Emperor as permission to do what he wanted to do. Nox also knew that Aruk would take that license way too far, using it as an excuse to further oppress and enslave any who posed a threat to him. Briefly, Nox was thankful his status made him immune to such programs and tactics, and that such behavior by Aruk would only make him less and less popular with Imperials at all levels of society, something that would help greatly when Nox eventually sought to remove Aruk from power.

The meeting moved on to other, important matters but Nox barely listened. He was too busy going over the events of the past month in his head. He had sensed the arrival of Satele's allies on Taris and had escaped in time, leaving Satele behind with orders to be "found" and "rescued." The bond between them, forged by the dark ritual he had conceived, had allowed him to monitor the situation through her eyes and ears, just by focusing on her. Even now, despite the vast distance between them he could sense her consciousness in the back of his mind, perceive her foremost thoughts, ideas, and emotions. She had no idea of course, at least her original personality didn't. There were now two Satele Shan's living inside her body, one ignorant, and one enlightened. The dark Satele could see, hear, and perceive the environment through the light Satele's senses and take over her body at will, forcing her light persona into a temporary coma. Once her dark persona relinquished control and she awakened however, her own mind, with help from the dark persona, would fabricate a series of false experiences to close the memory gap and leave her none the wiser.

Primarily, her light persona provided a cover for her true nature. It concealed the darkness that hid within her with remarkable effectiveness, largely because of how completely unaware she was of the second persona lurking within her. As long as her dark persona remained hidden in the back of her mind, no Force user would be the wiser. This somewhat limited Nox's ability to use her to manipulate others, but several experiments had shown that her dark persona, either acting on his orders or on its own, could subtly manipulate her thoughts and feelings by tapping directly into her subconscious. Given time and used sparingly with meticulous caution, this could be used to manipulate her into unwittingly manipulating others, although Nox was determined not to rely heavily on this to avoid alerting Satele to the existence of her second persona. Besides, it would only be a matter of time before he finished the ritual he was currently working on that would allow Satele to not only cloak _her_ true nature while the dark persona was dominant, but to cloak others as well. The information had been a part of the data he had downloaded directly into his brain from the datacron in the Emperor's library on Yavin IV, but due to the already unstable nature of the Dark Child ritual, he had been forced to exclude it and was now formulating a separate ritual for the purpose. In the meantime, he would allow Satele to rest and recuperate from her ordeal and simply be his eyes and ears in the Jedi Order.

Considering the distance between them, Nox found it staggering how easily and naturally he could maintain the connection with her. Having another presence constantly lingering in the back of his mind was rather unsettling at first, as it reminded him too much of his experiences with the four Sith spirits before the Voss healing ritual, but with the presence at his command and under his control, the experience was much less disturbing and more palatable.

From discussions and conversations Satele had participated in within the past few months, Nox knew that the Jedi now believed that the crisis was over. He knew they had sensed his growing power and influence and, very vaguely, his role in future events, but now believed that Plan Omega had been the crisis point. They foolishly believed that the worst was over and that the rising darkness they had perceived in the Force was a symptom of the resurgence of the Empire and the Sith, they were only half right. Plan Omega had intentionally been a misnomer, it was not the end, merely the beginning.

Satele, or rather her light persona, wasn't making it easy on him, unintentionally of course. Recognizing her new, emotionally vulnerable state, she had abdicated her position as Grandmaster and left the Jedi Temple, retreating into the Tythonian wilderness to meditate and attempt to disconnect from her emotions. This had annoyed Nox, as he had enjoyed the thought of using her to lead the Jedi down the road to ruin, but he had quickly adapted his plans to fit the situation. Some Jedi, particularly old friends and young padawans undergoing their trials, still came to see her at her humble hut in the mountains, and Nox knew this would provide him with an opportunity to subtly influence and infiltrate the Jedi Order from a distance. As compelling as it was to have direct control over the leader of an organization, Nox knew that a skilled manipulator could do far more harm with far more impunity acting from a lower rank than a higher one.

Her successor, Jedi Master Jay-Li Kenobi, was of equivalent interest to Nox. His role in Satele's rescue had brought him up to see the former Grandmaster several times, looking for advice and inquiring as to her wellbeing. Nox knew that once he had managed to formulate the concealment ritual that would allow Satele's dark persona to remain undetected by even the most perceptive and powerful Force users while fully active, he would be able to use this link to push and prod the now newly appointed Grandmaster in the direction he wanted him to go, and this put Jay in the perfect position to be the counterbalance Nox had been seeking. If his true plans were to succeed, he needed a hero to stop the not-so-bogus threats to galactic security that he would create, and Master Jay-Li was now in the perfect position to fulfill that role, with Nox guiding him. With both sides of the conflict being managed, Nox could orchestrate a performance so astounding that it would draw the eyes of every being whether rich or poor, bond or free, Jedi or Sith, and distract them so thoroughly that they would never see the true threat. Moreover, these threats would lead their minds down the socio-political roads that Nox wanted them to travel, and make them ripe for his manipulation.

As the meeting was adjourned and Nox filed out into the hall with the rest of his confederates, he couldn't help but smile behind his helm. The future had never looked better.

* * *

Jaesa turned the corner of the passage and began to descend the large flight of stone stairs into the depths of Tulak Hord's tomb. Her master had instructed her to meet him in the tomb of the ancient Dark Lord for a private meeting, where they could converse freely without fear of being watched or eavesdropped on. Her blood rushing through her veins and her heart pounding, she allowed her wildest aspirations and deepest held desires to run wild through her imagination. Perhaps he had finally grown tired of that Twi'lek and wanted her back. The thought of being with him again gave her chills, and she quickened her pace. Perhaps he also wanted to reward her for her dutiful service and undying loyalty, perhaps with a powerful artifact or new weapon. Besides the lightsaber on her hip, she had an arsenal of melee weapons of all kinds from all across the galaxy, having become something of a collector once Lord Demise had presented her with her first protosteel blade years ago.

Her anticipation grew as she reached the bottom of the steps and saw Lord Demise standing on the raised platform at the far end of the chamber, his back to her and his hands clasped behind his back. Pieces of droids that had remained undisturbed for years lay scattered around the chamber, near the bones of what might have been their former controllers. Jaesa crossed the sand-covered floor to the steps of the platform and dropped to one knee before her master.

"My lord, I have come."

Demise said, turning slowly around to face her, his arms dropping to his sides and the seemingly hollow eye sockets of his skull-like helm, so much like Darth Nox's, boring into her with great intensity. "Lord Willsaam," he said solemnly "This has been a long time in coming."

Jaesa's heart raced, was this it? Were her desires about to be made manifest? Adrenaline surged through her and brought with it passions so intense they blurred the edges of her vision and made her breath come heavy.

"Jaesa Willsaam," Lord Demise said as he descended the steps towards her, "As of this moment, by the power and authority invested in me by the Sith Emperor and the Dark Council, I hereby proclaim you Darth Salis." He reached the bottom of the steps just as he finished his proclamation. "Rise, Darth Salis." He commanded. Her heart skipped a beat when she took in his familiar scent, and as she rose to her feet she felt the sensation of his proximity wash over her like a wave. The full impact of his words finally struck her, and she felt her excitement become amplified. She'd never expected to receive such an honor, and if he said what she hoped he was going to say next, that honor was only the door prize. His next words, however, dashed her hopes into a million pieces and brought the phoenix of her anger and hatred rising up inside her, filling her from head to foot with its burning fire.

"As of this moment you are also transferred into the Sphere of Sith Philosophy, and will now report directly to Darth Aruk."

Her mind screamed at her to bite her tongue, but the word burst out before she was able to stop it, full of shock and pain: "Why?"

As if he had been expecting the question, Demise answered almost immediately. "Because you cannot reach your full potential while you continue to serve in my shadow. You have a great gift, Jaesa, a gift I will not see squandered because you lack for opportunities to develop and cultivate it."

"But master-" she began to plead, the desperation apparent in her voice. Demise held up a hand to silence her.

"There is no debate, Darth Salis, everything has already been finalized. I am no longer your master."

Rage, betrayal, and pure, raw hatred coursed through her veins like liquid fire. Her outrage threatened to overwhelm her and spill out from her fingertips in a storm of fury, but she held it back...barely.

"As you say, Lord Demise." She said, bowing her head as every muscle in her body screamed for her to attack her betrayer. "I will report to Darth Aruk immediately."

"All your belongings and personal affects have been moved to your new ship, it is waiting for you in the orbital station, docking bay eight." Demise said, no hint of emotion in his tone. Jaesa wanted to rage at him, to scream and cry and batter him with her fists, cut him to pieces with her lightsaber. She wanted him to feel as broken and in pain as she did. But she did none of those things, instead, as if she was watching from outside her body while someone else was at the controls, she nodded in acknowledgement. Demise turned and walked back up the steps onto the platform, once more clasping his hands behind his back, she had been dismissed.

She turned as if in a daze and walked back towards the large flight of steps that would take her back onto the main level of the tomb and out into the courtyard, her mind set alight with the flames of anger and hate. How dare he, HOW DARE HE! How dare he reject her so completely, dismiss her so utterly, dispose of her so coldly and without regard or respect for the years of devotion and service she had given him. How dare he act like what they had shared didn't matter, what gave him the right? Seething with indignation, she left the dark passages and emerged into the scorching Korriban sun. She didn't even notice the heat bearing down on her, so intense was the boiling of her blood.

She would make him pay, she would make him suffer, this she swore. She would show him what pain he had inflicted upon her and then some,he would regret casting her aside, she would make certain of it. She didn't know exactly how she was going to accomplish this, but she knew that it would come to pass, Darth Salis would make it so.

* * *

Nox walked into the vacant office that had once belonged to his former master Darth Zash, and before her, Darth Skotia. The expansive space occupied a place of honor in the citadel, mere steps from the offices of several members of the Dark Council. As his gaze travelled around the room, the memories of the battle he had fought here came rushing back to him. He remembered the sound of Khem's vibroblade clashing with Skotia's crimson lightsaber, he remembered feeling his simple black robes being burned through by the red plasma to scorch the skin beneath. He remembered the anger, the fury, the deep black hate that had roiled up within him. That had been his awakening, that battle had been the moment he realized the true scope of his destiny.

Zash hadn't believed he could defeat Skotia in and of himself, and had sent him to retrieve a device that would neutralize the cyborg's mechanical elements. Nox hadn't even bothered to use it. The rush of passion and exhilaration when he, under his own power, had felled Darth Skotia had been glorious. Ever since then Nox had experienced many pleasures, but none compared to the feeling he got from proving or increasing his power.

He stirred from his reminiscing as he felt Ashara's presence enter the room, he turned to see that it was indeed her. She approached him and genuflected, bowing one knee and tilting her head in a sign of respect.

"My lord."

"Lord Zavros, I'm glad you answered my summons."

"How could I do otherwise my lord?"

"Indeed. Kneel once more, Lord Zavros."

She did as instructed and Nox approached her until he was standing less than a meter in front of her, he extended his right hand in a blessing, and spoke in a loud voice that boomed off the walls of the expansive chamber.

"Lord Zavros, in the name of the Emperor, and by the power invested in me by the Dark Council, you shall forevermore be known as...Darth Skade."

Nox detected a surge of joy and pride in his lover that she barely contained, all that escaped her discipline and self-control was a twitching smile and a small shudder.

"Rise, Darth Skade." She rose to her full height and bowed her head in deference.

"Thank you my lord."

"Use your new power wisely."He cautioned her. "We must be as cunning as serpents if we are to succeed in our mission." A spark of ambition and zealotry ignited in her eyes.

"I will, master."

* * *

Nox stood near the far wall of a large open cavern, bathing in the dark energies that permeated the place. In the distance he could sense his apprentice Xalek drawing closer, fighting his way through the hordes of beasts, twisted by Sith alchemy and the Dark Side, that populated the underground. In the center of the cavern stood a massive monstrosity, a Sithspawn that had once been a Rancor, but was now a thousand times stronger and more frightening. Hidden by his Force Cloak, Nox was safe from the beast, but it could sense his apprentice through the Force and it was hungry. There was a rush of fresh Dark Side energy as Xalek burst into the cavern, his purple blade glowing in the near-darkness. The Sithspawn roared a terrible roar and lunged.

The Kaleesh dashed through the monster's ravaging claws and in between its stubby legs, slashing at them as he went. The sithspawn howled in pain and tried to turn itself around to attack its slippery foe, but Xalek had already leaped onto its back and was scaling it with preternatural speed and agility. The sithspawn clawed at its back, trying to grab the pesky warrior and crush him in its grip, but Xalek was too fast. He even managed to carve deep gouges in the monster's back and arms with his lightsaber as he scaled the massive creature. Reaching its head he carved deep furrows into its scaly flesh and armored skull before plunging his blade to the hilt into a spot in its cranium right between its horns. The monster howled in agony and clawed at its head, this time managing to seize upon Xalek and toss him across the cavern. Instead of slamming into the wall, the Kaleesh bounded off of it and somersaulted several times before landing on his feet like a feline.

The raging monster fixed its bleary, hateful gaze on him and charged, loping across the cavern with astonishing speed and dexterity. Xalek unleashed a thick stream of Sith lightning that slowed the already dying beast, and when Xalek sensed that the monster was near death, he ceased to channel the lightning and instead built it into a ring of power that he unleashed in a thunderous blast that struck the creature dead center. The kinetic force of the attack sent the already staggering creature tumbling onto its back, its massive horns sticking straight up into the air, its bioluminescent skin patches still glowing a fiery orange. It's last dying breath left with a terrible shudder, and then it was still.

Nox dropped his Force Cloak, allowing Xalek to see and sense him, and he waited for the Kaleesh to approach him and sink to one knee.

"Master."

"Lord Xalek, once again you perform admirably."

"Only thanks to your teaching and guidance, my lord." Xalek replied sincerely.

"Indeed, and as your teacher, I recognize when my student has completed his education." Nox said, outstretching his right hand in blessing. "Lord Xalek, from this day forward you shall be known only as Darth Raze. Rise." Xalek did so, and Nox smiled at the rush of emotion that overwhelmed the young Sith. "You now have more authority than ever, it is a sign of your power. Use it to vanquish your enemies, destroy your rivals, and increase your might. Continue to serve me well, and you will not lack for fresh enemies, glorious battles, or honors of the highest order."

"I will serve you even unto death, Master." Xalek said.

"Indeed you will, Darth Raze. Indeed you will."


	5. Chapter 5: Dread

**Chapter 5: Dread**

Nox strolled leisurely through the halls of the Aurora Cannon facility, surrounded by a full squad of Imperial black ops commandos. The sounds of blaster fire from the vanguard battling the forces of the Dread Guard occupying the cannon echoed from the halls ahead. The sound was almost therapeutic for Nox, bringing his mind into a meditative state, allowing him to focus and collect his most abstract thoughts.

His family had grown the past few months, through Satele he had managed to create many new "children" and seed them in the ranks of the Jedi, the Republic Military, and even the Senate. They were a small and disparate group...for now, but their numbers would grow as they brought more and more Force-sensitives from all walks of life to him. As long as he was patient, meticulous, and cautious his plans would continue to unfold exactly how he wanted them to, and none would be the wiser.

As he had intended, the ritual had not only made the children embodiments of his will but inextricably linked them to him with a bond stronger than any Nox knew of. He could not only communicate with them telepathically across thousands of light-years, but through the use of another ritual he had recently developed he could tap directly into their very essence through the bond, drawing on their power and even their very life force itself to feed his own strength in the Force, multiplying it many times over.

He had already used this power to accomplish feats of might and sorcery he might have once considered only the ancient Sith Lords to be capable of, and as a result his ambition had become a slavering beast, eager to consume more and more resources and throw caution to the winds in order to acquire more of this power.

But Nox held his own desires in check, knowing that a Sith who did not rule his passions would instead be ruled by them. He had instead turned that ambition and ravenous desire into creative energy which he harnessed to begin plotting the delicate intricacies of his plans, down to the last detail. He had spent many a sleepless night staring at the holoprojector in his sealed office, visualizing scenarios, simulating situations, experimenting with possibilities, trying to foresee and counter every eventuality. Thus far the simulations proved promising, even the initial failure of one phase of a plan could be steered towards the end goal with a proper course correction.

Before assaulting the Aurora Cannon, he had performed the ritual of Power Transfer in private to ensure that he could complete the mission himself even if all the troops he had brought with him were slaughtered. Thus far the casualties on the Empire's side were minimal compared to the enemy's casualties. Still, they were higher than expected. Based on reports of past conflicts between the Imperial forces and the Dread Guard in Section X, there should have been fewer if any casualties. It seemed the Dread Guard guarding the cannon were more focused and coordinated than their fellows out roaming the ruins of the shattered the prison world. Nox couldn't put his finger on it, but he swore he could sense a faint presence lingering in the air. It was similar to the unmistakable presence of the Dread Masters, but it was too faint to be anything but some kind of echo. But it couldn't be possible that the Dread Masters having been here could somehow amplify the abilities of their troops long after they were gone, at least, Nox hoped this wasn't the case.

As they drew closer and closer to the sounds of blaster fire, winding their way deeper and deeper into the cannon facility, Nox could feel the presence growing stronger. He now realized that it wasn't an echo, not in the traditional sense, but rather an echo of power bound to an object, or most likely, a being. The Dread Masters had instilled a portion of their power into one of their servants and left the being here to command their troops. It seemed the Dread Guard commander was using a lesser form of Battle Meditation to degrade and erode the abilities and wills of the Imperial troops, the most likely cause of the increased number of casualties and the definite cause of the presence Nox sensed in the atmosphere.

Nox and his escort soon caught up with the remaining members of the vanguard, who were battling valiantly against the guards protecting the Aurora Cannon's power core chamber, despite their losses. The guards were greater in number but their Imperial opponents were far better co-ordinated and trained. The presence was stronger here and Nox could sense it eroding the iron wills of his troops. He gave the order for his bodyguards to join in, and they immediately lined up and began raining fire down on the Dread Guards. With numbers and skill now on their side Nox's forces won the battle in under a minute, now the only thing standing in their way of getting inside the power core chamber was the force fields erected in the two doorways that led into the massive room.

Nox scanned the area around the doors for a moment, seeing nothing he closed his eyes and extended his Force awareness outward. He soon discovered the location of the generator, hidden behind a false stone in the wall, and blasted the spot with lightning. The generator exploded with a loud BANG and showered Nox and his troops with debris. The force fields vanished and Nox indicated that he should lead the way into the chamber. He strolled in confidently, spotting the Dread Guard commander almost immediately, and activated his lightsaber in a universal sign of aggression. His troops filed in after him, spreading themselves out around him, blasters aimed at the commander more than thirty meters away.

The commander didn't seem to move, it was as if he had not even registered them entering the room. Nox noticed that he wore a golden helm similar to the ones worn by the Dread Masters, but without the multiple crests theirs had that made them look more like crowns than mere battle gear.

Suddenly the commander turned around, fixing the gaze of his empty eye slits on Nox. When he spoke, his voice was not his own.

"So you have come," Nox recognized the voice of Dread Master Tyrans, the so-called "Tactician of the Masters". "Your power has grown much since we last met...what is it you seek here, dark lord?"

"What all Sith seek," Nox replied. "Knowledge, power, control..."

"You will find none of that here." Tyrans said cryptically, the red glow of his presence having fully manifested itself around his chosen mouthpiece. "You will find only questions where you sought answers."

"Then perhaps I should seek to take my answers by force, rather than by wit." Nox threatened. Tyrans laughed.

"You can try. You may defeat my game piece, but you will gain nothing of substance from it. You may attempt to extract information or knowledge from him, but you will find he knows only what I wish him to, as do all our servants."

"What are you and the Masters up to, Tyrans?" Nox said, his anger rising. "Whatever ambitions you have gained in the Emperor's absence will be short-lived should he return!" Tyrans laughed once more.

"How little you know, little Sith. Now DIE!" The red glow disappeared and commander drew and ignited a yellow blade, charging at Nox with a roar. The commander was physically imposing, almost a full head taller than Nox with much larger body proportions and very obvious physical strength. Even so, Nox easily blocked the assault, erecting his Force armor just in time to combat his opponent's own Force powers which sought to penetrate both his physical and Force defenses. Whirling around, the commander swung his lightsaber in a savage upper cut that he amplified with Force kinetics. Every trooper surrounding Nox went flying, several crashed into walls, but most just flew like birds before their heavy armor brought them crashing down onto the hard stone floor. More than half of them didn't move, most knocked out cold, a few dead.

The commander swung his lightsaber in savage Juyo strikes, strikes which Nox easily repelled with an almost casual defense. Perceiving the ease with which his enemy defended himself, the Dread Guard commander made his attacks more ferocious and savage, but to no avail. Nox barely noticed, to him it was as if the man was moving in slow motion, he didn't even need his premonitions to see an attack coming, yet they happened all the same and blocking or deflecting each attack was as easy as swatting insects.

Quickly growing desperate, the commander summoned the Force and channeled the raw power of the Dark Side into an explosion of dark energy that detonated on Nox and spread outward like a nuclear dome. Nox however, saw the attack coming and cloaked himself in a Force Shroud moments before the Death Field burst to life. As quickly as it had come the field vanished, its owner unable to sustain it for longer than a moment, and even that moment of channeling it had drained him severely. Nox, on the other hand, was not any worse off than he had been before the attack. Shrouded in the Force, he had been completely sheltered from the ravaging power of the Death Field, which had the power to disintegrate mere mortals and unskilled Force sensitives in an instant and was still extremely taxing for skilled Force users to defend themselves from - unless they knew the best ways to counter it, which Nox did.

Taking advantage of his opponent's surprise over the failure of his attack, Nox launched into a series of aggressive Force attacks and lightsaber blows. He alternated between withering blasts of dark energy and bursts of lightning, punctuating them with complimentary lightsaber strikes. With Nox's powers magnified tenfold, the Dread Guard commander found his defenses falling rapidly against the series of impossibly strong attacks. Suddenly Nox felt the inky black darkness rising up from within him, and his hatred became pure power as he unleashed it in a series of powerful lightning bolts that depredated his opponent, the attack pierced his enemy's defenses, allowing Nox to land a sweeping blow to the man's abdomen. His lightsaber blade, amplified by the power of the Dark Side, penetrated his foe's personal shield and robes to leave a long scorch mark across the man's midsection. The commander howled in pain as the smell of his singed flesh reached Nox's nostrils.

Beginning to see the true power of his opponent, the commander responded with a tactic Nox had only half-expected: he turned and ran. Not towards any exit however, instead he dashed towards the one trooper who had regained consciousness first and was slowly getting to her feet. Upon reaching her he channeled his Force grip, lifting the trooper off her feet and a full meter into the air, beginning to siphon her life force directly from her body, Nox looking on in morbid fascination. Like a parasitic monster, the commander drained her body of all life until it was an empty husk, then released the corpse, letting it drop to the floor.

He turned and leaped at Nox, his lightsaber raised above his head to strike. Nox noticed that the long scorch mark on the man's gut had now been completely healed, leaving only the man's pale, sickly flesh where there had once been a grievous wound. Nox blocked the incoming blow and countered with another burst of dark energy and a blast of lightning. His superior speed and reflexes allowed him to land another barrage of lightsaber strikes and unleash another burst of lightning before the commander had an opportunity to counterattack. He followed up with another series of depredating volts that weakened his opponent all the more, even as the darkness unleashed by the attack enveloped Nox, adding even more potency to his Force armor. The Dread Guard commander responded by attempting to channel a second Death Field. Nox, unable to summon the strength to veil himself in the Force as of yet, chose to substitute metaphysical finesse with sheer force of will and raw power. The Death Field damaged his Force defenses considerably, but not nearly enough to change the course of the fight.

The commander fed on the Force energy stripped from Nox by the Death Field, converting it into life force in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the battle. When he realized he had only delayed the inevitable, he began to channel his Force Siphon. Nox analyzed his opponent's Force defenses, prodding and poking at various points in his metaphysical armor. Finding the weak point he sought, he unleashed a tiny bolt of energy that has half electric, half telepathic. The jolt disrupted his foe's concentration and left him somewhat stunned for a moment. Nox seized the advantage, raising his weapon over his head in a Force-empowered spinning strike that beheaded the commander, cleanly cutting through shield, armor, and robes to separating his head and right shoulder from the rest of his body.

The two halves of the corpse toppled to the floor, and as Nox sheathed his lightsaber, he noticed that the rest of the troopers were getting slowly to their feet.

"On your feet soldiers!" He barked. "Let's finish the job and be done with it!"

Darth Raze stood quietly in the center of the bridge of _The Starblade_ , savoring the atmosphere of disciplined apprehension that filled the room. _The Starblade_ , along with the rest of the small fleet under his command, had been a gift from his master. Although he suspected might be a ploy or part of some larger plot by Darth Nox, he accepted it anyway - to refuse would have likely been an insult so grievous it would have convinced Nox to accelerate whatever plans he had to betray Raze. He needed more time to prepare himself for that betrayal. Besides, the warrior in him had long desired such a position, and he was ready to take full advantage of it.

The _Starblade_ was the largest ship in Raze's new fleet. A _Terminus_ -class Destroyer outfitted with as much armament as possible, the _Starblade_ lacked troop carrying capacity but more than made it up for it with exceptional speed, defense and firepower. Also accompanying it were the _Delta_ -class carrier _Siege_ , three light Corvettes and five _Gage_ -class transports, four of which had much of their cargo space replaced with additional armaments - allowing them to serve both as troop transports and battleships - while the remaining one served as full troop transport for the bulk of the fleet's ground forces.

The fleet was moving through hyperspace towards the Jymenian system, where the prominent Jedi Master Selimo Karr was posted in command of a sizable defense fleet to protect the system from Imperial attack. The system was close to Imperial territory but had only seen minor skirmishes throughout both galactic wars, as it was largely insignificant if you disregarded the royal family's connections to the Tion Hegemony. Many times the system's monarch had mediated disputes between the Hegemony and the Republic, saving both factions from costly conflicts that would have left both powers in a significantly weakened state regardless of the outcome.

That debt was being repaid by the posting of Selimo Karr and the accompanying defense fleet. Jymenia held enough power in the Senate to prove an effective hindrance to the Republic should they choose, so when the monarch had requested a Republic fleet to assist in defending the largely demilitarized system the Senate had relented.

Darth Raze however, was not interested in the system or whatever value it held in the eyes of the Republic, he was more interested in Master Karr. A veteran of the previous galactic war, the Twi'lek had risen through the ranks to become a master of the lightsaber, rivaling even some of the higher-ranking Jedi masters in his skills. Raze wanted to test those skills, and his own, and now with a fleet at his command that desire was in reach.

The fleet emerged from hyperspace just outside the system and Selimo's scanning range. Each ship began to check in, reporting their status and battle readiness. Raze gave the order, and the fleet began to close in on the system. Battle alarms sounded and boots rushed to battle stations as they neared the defense fleet's sensor range. Members of the sensor crew drew in sharp breaths as the first signals from the defense fleet came in.

"Nobody told us about TWO Valors!"

"Was Intel sleeping?"

"Silence!" Raze barked. "It doesn't matter what advantages the enemy has, we will prevail in spite of them."

The comms station near him chimed and the ensign reported;

"My lord, incoming transmission from the Republic fleet's flagship."

"Ignore it." He commanded gruffly. "Increase our sub-light speed to 70%." He barked at the officer minding the engines station. "Prepare us for battle, all power to forward shields and ion cannons!" He bellowed to the rest of the bridge crew as they rushed to fulfill his demands. "They've commed us again my lord." The communications ensign reported.

"Ignore it." Raze repeated. "Open fire on the lead ships, all forward cannons!"

The boom of the _Starblade's_ forward ion cannons opening fire was heard even across the hundreds of meters from the bridge viewport to the forward batteries. Raze smiled behind his bone mask as the blasts sank into the shields of the lead ships of his opponent's fleet. The response was immediate, the turbolaser banks and ion cannons from the lead ships opened fire as the remaining ships repositioned themselves to either take on the rest of Raze's fleet or fall back into defensive positions.

The heavy Gage-class transports ravaged their mostly unsuspecting opponents with their unusual amount of firepower, while stray shots that made it through the shields simply bounced off their extra-thick armored hulls. Starfighters were unleashed on both sides and the already chaotic battle became infinitely more layered and confusing. The Corvettes ducked and weaved through the battle, engaging the bigger ships at opportune moments and then running circles around them when their bigger, slower opponents attempted to focus them. Occasionally, when there were no other opportunities, they would target a squad of starfighters, diverting their firepower back towards the larger vessels when an opportunity opened up.

Raze stood on the bridge of the _Starblade_ , stretching out with the Force to attempt to gage the battle and dispatching orders as tactics changed. He perceived that he wasn't making any progress in the engagement, he was holding his own, but other than the initiative he'd gained by shooting first he could discern no way the battle would turn in his favor without direct intervention.

It wasn't even a decision, he turned around and marched down the steps of the captain's platform, heading towards the door. As he left he called back over his shoulder;

"Harkanous, take command, make sure the Jedi don't gain any advantage!"

"As you say, my lord." Came the reply as the second-in-command took Raze's former place on the platform. Within minutes, Raze had taken the turbolift and boarded his personal shuttle. The ship lifted up from the hanger floor and took off, heading for the enemy flagship.

Raze slipped silently and unseen through the corridors and rooms of the _Guardian_ , the Jedi Master's flagship. He moved past Republic soldiers with careful but rapid movements, making sure to avoid coming within a few feet of them and burying himself deeper in the Force when he felt it was necessary to avoid detection. An eerie calm descended upon him, as it always did when he was engaged in this kind of infiltration. It was the kind of calm that came before a the lethal storm of combat, a repression of emotion and sensation that would burst forth with great energy and power in the heat of battle.

Reaching the engineering deck, he sought out the primary power control console, killing the guards with a blast of dark energy that radiated out from him like a nuclear explosion followed by a blindingly fast combination of lightsaber attacks that targeted the weak points in their armor. Too stunned and weakened by the explosion of dark energy he'd unleashed to react in time, the guards were killed in a matter of seconds, and the engineers nearby soon followed them into oblivion with a sequence of quick executions.

Slicing the console, Raze grinned as he found a glitch in the severely outdated console system and initiated a default reset to invalidate all the command codes for power allocation via. Then he redirected all power from the ship's weapons to its shields, locking in the command so no-one could change it without a hard reset, and only through this console. Then he re-activated his lightsaber and proceeded to destroy the console by making deep gouges into its panels until it smoked and sparked.

Satisfied, he sheathed his blade, reattaching it to his hip as he cloaked himself in the Force once more and moved off towards the bridge.

Selimo Karr stood solemnly on the bridge of the Guardian, his eyes fixed on the battle outside the viewport, but his mind focused inward. The battle wasn't exceptional, the Imperial fleet was outnumbered and outgunned, but they held their own with admirable skill and perseverance. Still, something didn't seem quite right. The savagery and aggression that had marked the battle's beginning had faded and now the Imperials seemed dead-set on maintaining the defensive. Even when opportunities to aggress onto the Republic forces and seize the advantage had manifested the Imperials had simply used the time to consolidate their defense. It was as if they were stalling, waiting for something, or someone.

Quickly Selimo turned all his attention towards scanning the _Guardian_ through the Force, searching it deck by deck with his mind for any disturbances, but he found none. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, it was the same intuition he got when someone was watching him, only more broad and more rooted in the Force than the physical world. He activated his earpiece and opened a channel, the voice of his padawan Reelin coming over the line.

"You feel it too master?"

"I do. Come to the bridge immediately, let no one see you."

"Understood." The link closed abruptly, and Selimo once more turned his senses towards scouring the ship for any disturbances or Dark Side signatures. He was almost certain that a Sith was on board, but he didn't know who, where, or why. Alerting the crew might help flush out the intruder, but not without bloodshed. No, it was better for him to let the Sith come to him, for Selimo was certainly what the assassin was after.

"Master Jedi," the bridge officer said, approaching him quickly. "Our weapons just went offline, all their power was diverted to the shields, and the system has been sliced to prevent us from diverting any more power."

"Can't you override it, Captain?"

"We tried that master Jedi but the intruder performed a hard reset, deleting all the override codes. We're attempting to find a backdoor now but it's going to be some time before we're operational again."

"At least we're not sitting ducks Captain." Selimo reminded him. "Pull back and go on the defensive, we'll maintain command posture for now."

The captain nodded and rushed off to perform his orders. Selimo turned his mind back to seeking out the intruder's Force signature, and discovered a vague sense of malice directed towards the bridge. If he wasn't sure the assassin was coming after him before, he was now. Resigning himself to the inevitable, he began preparing for the conflict, slipping into a light trance and releasing his hold on all his emotions. He began to draw more and more focus as the minutes passed, and when he felt he was fully prepared, he signaled for the Captain to come and speak with him.

"Captain," he said when the man was close enough to hear Selimo's lowered voice, "we have an infiltrator aboard. Prepare the bridge crew, they are not to attack the intruder when they arrive. I will handle it." The look on the Bothan's face suggested he had questions, but he wisely kept them to himself and began moving around the bridge, speaking softly and quickly to the crew.

The bridge doors flew open, revealing a Kaleesh Sith wielding a double-bladed purple lightsaber dressed in purple-white armored battle robes, no-one on the bridge reacted. Seemingly stunned by the lack of reaction, the Kaleesh advanced cautiously into the room, the doors slamming shut behind him. A burst of lightning from the Sith's clawed hand fried the door console, triggering the automatic lockdown, sealing everyone inside.

Selimo's lekku twitched as he felt the Dark Side energy emanating from his foe, his bright blue skin crawling briefly with goose bumps, but he suppressed his instinctual fear response and regained his focus, feeling the Light Side surround him once more. He felt the Sith approach, and decided to make one last effort at disarming his opponent with words.

"I've been waiting for you, Sith. I felt your presence since you boarded this ship."

"Yet you did nothing to stop me." The Sith sneered, hatred gleaming in his predatory yellow eyes. "Truly you Jedi are as foolish as you are weak."

"I calculated that allowing you to come to me unhindered would result in less bloodshed, a much more preferable option to the alternative. You would have to be insane to come aboard this ship alone without a boarding party unless you were capable of defeating all our security forces by yourself, so I chose to spare their lives and risk my own to stop you instead."

"Which is why the Sith will rule when the Jedi Order lies in ruins." Xalek spat. "The Sith honor and preserve strength, while the Jedi waste it in pointless self-sacrifice."

"Look around you Sith," Selimo countered, gesturing to the bridge crew surrounding them. "Not even you could defeat all these people at once, and especially not after somehow managing to slay me, give up now and I can promise you a comfortable prison sentence."

"You are going to regret underestimating me, Jedi." Xalek growled, adopting a ready stance. Selimo sighed.

"Then so be it."

In a flash, Raze whirled around and unleashed a stream of lightning at the nearby captain. The attack was about to hit him when the volts suddenly wrapped themselves around thin air. In moments the cloak protecting the female Chiss padawan vanished completely as she writhed and screamed in pain. Selimo descended on the Sith, lightsaber ready to strike him down, but he whirled just in time to deflect the blow with his own lightsaber. Selimo attempted a series of quick Ataru attacks designed to throw his enemy off-guard but the Sith managed to defend himself effectively in an excellent display of Soresu.

Reelin had just gotten to her feet and drawn her lightsaber, charging across the deck. Selimo went for a low strike while she came in high, but Raze managed to block both with his double blade, following the block with a blast of kinetic Force energy that sent Reelin staggering back and unbalanced Selimo for long enough for Raze to unleash a thunderous blast of power that slammed into Reelin, sending her flying into the navigation console.

Raze managed to turn and block Selimo's next incoming blow just in time, but the follow-up was too complex for him to counter. He took a hard strike to the shoulders, which his armor and personal shield insulated him from, followed by a series of blows to the abdomen and legs, straining his shield, weakening his Force armor and leaving him unbalanced. Selimo attempted to continue his dance of blades, but Xalek loosed a potent bolt of lightning that nearly electrocuted him, leaving him stunned and staggered.

Reelin wisely held back this time, defending herself as well as she could against Raze's brutal and deadly blows. Despite her best efforts he landed some good shots on her, significantly draining her shield and Force reserves and leaving light scorch marks on her robes. Selimo recovered, and the two Jedi threw themselves into the fight with intense co-ordination and renewed focus. Selimo lead the attack, and Reelin supported with both her lightsaber and the Force.

Selimo put Raze on the defensive again with a sequence of fast acrobatic attacks that nearly overwhelmed the Sith, he took more blows to the shoulders and torso, nearly taking one to the arm as well, but still his shield held. An opportunity presented itself, and Raze surged forward, driving the tip of his lightsaber directly into Selimo's gut. The Jedi master's shield, Force armor, and battle armor prevented the blow from being fatal, but it still made full contact with the cortosis breastplate and left a large scorch mark. Selimo responded with a co-ordinated attack that brought his lightsaber in with a chest slash and Reelin's with a leg slash from opposite sides. Raze backflipped up and over Reelin, putting as much Force strength as he could behind his next strike, which drove his lightsaber through Reelin's personal shield, Force armor, and body to emerge from her abdomen. She gasped in shock as Raze pulled his blade out and her failing body dropped to the floor.

Selimo had to fight hard to keep his emotions in check.

"You'll pay for that, Sith."

He reached out his hand and Reelin's lightsaber flew from her dying hand into his. He reactivated the weapon, and its green blade shone brightly alongside his own. He advanced on Raze, then sprang into action. His body became a blur of motion, his focus a laser point. He attacked with such intensity and speed that Raze's lightsaber defenses became of little use, only the Dark Side protected him from the Jedi master's storm of blows. He reinforced his Force armor, turning it into a tangible barrier that surrounded him in its protective field. He used the Dark Side to drain Selimo's willpower and connection to the Force, slowing his reactions and sapping his strength. The combination gave Raze the opportunity he needed to disrupt the Jedi's ferocious assault and turn the tide of battle back in his favor.

Deflecting what would have been a critical blow, Raze landed an immediate counter-attack that pierced Selimo's personal shield and struck armor, burning the robes covering it. He pressed the attack with a burst of lightning from one clawed hand that drained the weakening shield even more and drove Selimo into a defensive position. Raze continued his assault with ferocious Juyo strikes that pushed Selimo into a retreat. Suddenly Selimo unexpectedly countered a blow and turned the battle back in his favor, forcing Raze to retreat. With a well-timed dual saber toss Selimo annihilated Raze's shield and sent the Sith staggering, then he leaped into the air with both sabers held above his head, ready to bury them in the Kaleesh's exposed chest.

His face changed from one of intense focus to absolute shock when Raze dodged his attack and swung his lightsaber in a twisting, heavy, over-the-shoulder blow that beheaded the Twi'lek and sent his detached cranium rolling across the deck. Raze turned to face the crowd of shocked Republic officers, and a bloodthirsty smile spread across his hidden features. Then, he simply vanished, leaving the bridge crew's blaster bolts to pass through thin air.

Darth Skade stepped out of the landing shuttle's open hatchway, descending the ramp to the landing pad where the Prime Minister of Felquarra waited to greet her, flanked by two guards in gold and green uniforms. At the base of the ramp, Skade's own escort of two Imperial soldiers were standing at attention. Skade's outfit was the same one she had always worn since becoming Nox's apprentice, only now it was dyed fully in black. Her lightsabers, whose crystals she had at that time exchanged for synthetic red ones at Nox's insistence, now held purple crystals directly from Ilum. As she approached the statuesque man dressed in splendid finery that served as the head of Felquarra's government, she realized she had never felt more comfortable and confident than she did now.

"Darth Skade." The Prime Minister said, bowing his head in what he no doubt believed to be a gesture of respect. Skade couldn't help but feel a little jab of anger at the deed, she was a Darth now, and if any title afforded a being respect other than Jedi Master, it was the Darth honorific. He, a mere political ruler of a largely irrelevant world, should have bowed the knee to her. She squashed her displeasure under a facade of calm cordiality and smiled gently.

"Prime Minister." She said gently, inclining her head slightly.

"May I be the first to say what an honor it is to have you here with us on Felquarra." The Prime Minister said with the soft and arrogant air of a man who had lived a life of privilege and wealth. "We are looking forward to hearing your case for why Felquarra should join the Empire." He turned and motioned for them to walk towards the speeder that awaited them at the other end of the landing pad. His voice is as soft and puffy as he is, Skade thought with some measure of disgust as she walked with him to the speeder and entered it first when the driver held the door open for her.

"I can assure you it will be highly persuasive, Prime Minister." She said aloud. "The reasons for Felquarra to join the Empire are many, and the reasons to remain independent are few."

The speeder whisked them away to a grand palace in the center of the city, "The People's Palace" the Prime Minister called it when she asked him about it. The speeder descended into a beautiful courtyard and released them. They walked to and fro through the beautifully paved paths that wound in between stunning displays of the local flora as they talked, their respective guards following closely behind them.

"When the Republic speaks of the Empire they speak of atrocities and tyranny." The Prime Minister said, "perhaps you might wish to defend yourself from their accusations?"

"In war both sides do what they feel they must to survive," Skade responded. "The Republic is no different. Neither the Empire nor the Republic are innocent with regards to the horrors of war."

"Yes, I understand you completely." The Prime Minister said, stroking his pointed white beard, "However, perhaps you might shed some light on the so-called propaganda machines of the Empire, and how they omit, obscure, or twist the truth in order to manipulate the masses?"

"The Empire only restricts and controls information for the betterment of the populace." Skade said confidently. "Not all beings are possessed of the same advanced mental faculties as the Empire's leaders, thus it is necessary to control what beings have access to which information to prevent chaos and discord. If there is a rebellion based on lies, for example, then without the intelligent control of information the rebellion would spread further and endanger the Empire as a whole."

"Isn't that rather restrictive?" The Prime Minister asked. "Do not all beings deserve access to all the information on a given subject?"

"You have media outlets here, do you not, Prime Minister?"

"Yes..."

"And how often have you or any of your fellow governors repressed or withheld information to prevent widespread panic, rioting, or issues of serious controversy?"

"Occasionally we must resort to such things but surely-"

"Does your administration have classified information, Prime Minister?"

"Yes we do."

"So by your own admission you also restrict and control information, rather than give all Felquarrans access to all the information on a given subject."

"I suppose when you put it that way..." The Prime Minister said slowly.

"The Empire simply believes in keeping a firmer grip on the flow of information in order to preserve order and thus reduce suffering and chaos throughout the galaxy." Skade pressed her advantage, subtly weaving the Force into her words to make them more persuasive. "You can see the consequences of freedom of information in the Republic, which is even now falling back on its heels after the Empire's recent campaigns. By allowing the free flow of information the Republic leaves itself and its member worlds vulnerable to Imperial attack, as the information it does not control often makes its way into Imperial battle plans."

"Yes but the Republic at least does not restrict as much information as the Empire." The Prime Minister countered. "It allows it citizens to make the choice for themselves."

"And how well has that worked out for them?" Skade asked. "The Republic has long been plagued by separatist movements, divisiveness, and bureaucracy. It has become so weighed down by laws and regulations designed to hold the patchwork of the Republic together that it is only a matter of time before the whole system collapses, with or without the Empire there to pick up the pieces."

"But surely propaganda is not the way." The Prime Minister objected.

"Prime Minister, do you truly believe that the Republic doesn't have its own propaganda machine?"

"Yes, I have seen no indication of such."

"Then allow me to enlighten you, did you know, Prime Minister, that the top three hundred media outlets in the Republic are all owned by the same seventeen people?"

"Really?" The Prime Minister looked curious now, she was getting through to him.

"Yes, and all seventeen of those people are extremely wealthy humans with an incredible number of ties to and influence in the Senate and nearly all regional governments within the Republic. Imperial Intelligence's archives have records of a multitude of different instances where these media outlets have repressed, twisted, or controlled information to directly influence public opinion, even sway elections."

"How is it I have never heard of this?" The Prime Minister questioned, his brow furrowed with anger and suspicion.

"There are many things the Republic will not tell you, Prime Minister." Skade said. "The Republic and the Empire are not so different, only the Republic is much more insidious and dishonest with its methods of control. If the Empire doesn't want you to do something, it will have the decency and respect to say so to your face. The Republic, on the other hand, will do everything but. They will manipulate you, lie to you, trick you, bait you, anything but approach you honestly and directly. Their entire power structure is based on willful, malicious deception and manipulation. They pretend to have morals and claim to adhere to certain principals only to attain a moral high ground from which they can shame and prod those they wish to enslave into obedience. But once it no longer suits them they abandon those morals and principles and then cover it up through a multitude of words and infinite amounts of procedure and red tape."

The Prime Minister's eyebrows raised and his eyes glowed in recognition. "Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about, but I thought nothing of it until you put it in those precise words."

At that moment Skade noticed a young man flanked by two guards, identical to the ones escorting the Prime Minister, approaching them. When the Prime Minister saw him, he turned to Skade and gestured towards the man. "My son; Governor of Felaq, our capital city."

The young man was handsome, but in an aristocratic way. His skin shone softly in the bright sunlight, his manicured hands and nails looked like they had never seen a day's work, and his robes were in the same style as his father, only less grand and embellished due to his lower station.

"My lord." He said as he approached, bowing to one knee before Skade. "Forgive my surprise, but when I was told a Sith was coming as the Empire's representative I was not expecting one so radiant."

Skade smiled slightly in amusement. "Perhaps you expected some twisted, monstrous-looking creature? Or a withered old mystic with a voice like nails scraping on steel?"

Clearly flustered and embarrassed, the young man attempted to find his mental balance again. "Yes, no, that is...I mean-"

Skade waved a hand in light-hearted dismissal. "It's quite alright, I understand completely. I'm merely teasing you, governor."

The young man looked equal parts staggered and eager. "You are?"

Skade suppressed a laugh at his reaction."Of course, I'm used to the lies the Republic and especially the Jedi have spread about the Sith. You will find that many of the things you heard about the Sith range from embellishment and exaggeration of personality quirks to outright lies."

"Does that mean everything they say about the Sith is a lie?" The young governor asked with a note of disappointment in his voice.

Skade, discerning what the young man was implying, laughed, allowing a bit of her flirtatious mood to express itself in the act. "No, not everything." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

The Prime Minister opened his mouth to interject when suddenly a clamorous jangle of foreboding erupted in Skade's head and time slowed to a crawl. She whirled around, reaching her lightsabers and igniting the purple blades just as the bolt that would have bored through her head came roaring in towards her. She crossed the blades and flung them outward and apart with perfect timing, sending the bolt flying into the landing pad near the shuttle. She felt it through the Force as the guards on either side of the governor raised their blasters and pointed them at her. The Prime Minister's guards were still in the process of raising their weapons to scan the area for the sniper, they wouldn't see their comrades actions until it was too late.

Skade leaped forward, bringing her blades down on the left guard, splitting his upper body into three pieces in one quick motion. Too fast for the eye to see she moved on the right guard, swinging her blades through his midsection from opposite sides and bringing them up on either side of her head. Time returned to its normal pace and both bodies collapsed to the ground in scorched heaps. The governor and Prime Minister stared at the bodies in shock while one the Prime Minister's guards radioed the Captain of the Guard to inform him of the breach.

After a moment of processing what had just happened the Prime Minister sank to one knee and bowed his head in what Skade had no doubt was an uncharacteristic gesture of humility. "My lord, please accept my most humble apologies! This cowardly act will not go unpunished!"

The governor, who had also dropped to one knee, spoke as well. "My lord please do not let this reflect on your view of Felquarra or its people, these are the acts of traitors, not of the Felquarrans!"

"Then who has done this?" Skade demanded. "Who would do such a thing?"

"The only group who could have committed such a despicable act is the Gamaik Loyalists, rebels and vagabonds the lot of them!" He spat venomously. "In the past they stuck to covering areas of cities with graffiti or disseminating anti-government propaganda. They supported my rival in the last election."

"Why would they attempt to assassinate me?"

"They call themselves anti-fascists." The young governor replied. "They believe the Republic's lies about the Empire and the Sith without question, and that if Felquarra joins the Empire its people will all become slaves. They used to simply protest government decisions and try to stir up controversy and civil unrest, but after we announced that we were inviting a delegate from the Empire to come and discuss the possibility of joining they became rabid."

"We didn't believe they would stoop to such violence!" The Prime Minister interjected. "Please my lord, believe us!" Skade sensed no deception in his words, so she put on a kind smile and extended a hand to the surprised man to help him to his feet.

"Of course I believe you." She said. "You're an intelligent man who understands full well the consequences of orchestrating an assassination of an Imperial representative. You have nothing to gain by my death, and much to lose."

"Thank you." The Prime Minister said, looking noticeably relieved. Skade extended her hand to the young governor and helped him to his feet as well.

"I didn't catch your name." She said to him.

"Golys." He said, beaming despite his father's look of disapproval.

"Perhaps we should enter the palace." The Prime Minister said urgently as a group of guards exited the spaceport and rushed towards them at a light jog. "It might not be the best idea to remain here in the open, the sniper is still on the loose."

"Agreed." Golys said eagerly. "We don't want to put you in any more danger."

"I can handle myself." Skade said, "You needn't worry."

"All the same," The Prime Minister said soberly. "it might be better to continue our discussion at the ball tonight."

Skade sighed. "Very well, lead the way Prime Minister."

Nox stood quietly on the plateau overlooking a great forest in the valley below. He could feel the Dark Side welling up within him as he slipped deeper and deeper into a meditative trance, deeper into the well of black darkness in the very depths of his being, and as the darkness consumed him from head to toe, he began the ritual. The night sky filled with dark clouds and fierce wind swirled across the plateau, attempting to buffet Nox, but he stood firm, as still as stone. The air vibrated with each crack of lightning and each peal of thunder as a great tempest began to form in the sky above him.

Nox felt the power flowing through every inch of his being, and he felt the temperature drop as it overflowed from him, filling the air with a tangible energy. The darkness consumed him utterly, devouring his body and spirit and unleashing its full potency through its newfound vessel. Nox began to lose all awareness of the physical storm raging around him, he stood at the eye of the storm, drawing lightning bolts into himself, feeding on them, and then unleashing that power back into the air.

This was how it was supposed to be, all the power and fury and glory of the Dark Side focused in a single point, not diffused and disparate. A cocoon of lightning formed around him, creating a shield of crackling, vibrating energy. He shivered in anticipation and ecstasy before suddenly going rigid, his arms spread out at his sides. Slowly his body began to rise off the ground, levitating meters into the air. He felt the raw power of the Force surging through him, and for a moment he feared it might tear his mortal body to pieces. The lightning cocoon expanded to become a spherical field of energy, a sizzling cage of power, before it suddenly dispersed into the maelstrom.

The storm rolled down over the plateau and rumbled across the forest, a deluge of blistering lightning fell from the roiling clouds overhead and the forest erupted in a blaze. Trees burst into flames like tinder, the inferno spreading itself across the landscape like a ravenous, incorporeal beast intent only on devouring all that it touched. The wave of fire swept outward, consuming vast swathes of the woodland in seconds, and yet still the storm raged. Not a single drop of precipitation fell, yet the clouds looked as black as sin, and as heavy as if they were made of neuranium. Lightning flashed over and over, splitting the sky with a thousand cracks, as if reality itself were falling to pieces.

Nox was in the eye of the storm, not physically, for the storm had long since moved its fury from the plateau to the forest, but nonetheless he was its center. He could see without eyes and feel without sensation, he sensed the suffering and death of every single thing the storm destroyed, from the largest animals to the moss and the undergrowth that were being incinerated in mere moments by the thousands of hungry tongues of the blazing holocaust ravaging the landscape. The air was shaking, as if in terror of the sheer amount of energy being unleashed upon it. The intense heat of the fire felt like the core of a star, and the air was filled with ashes and sparks.

The storm raged for several hours, sweeping over the land with apocalyptic fury and an endless appetite for destruction. Even after it finally subsided, the flames still burned. Nox watched with fire in his own eyes as the hungry flames consumed every living thing for hundreds of kilometers in every direction. For any lesser Force adept the heat would have been unbearable, but Nox warded off the heat and the flames with the Force, leaving the plateau he was standing on the only green place in a massive field of orange. Nox had no doubt his handiwork was visible from space, and the scars it would leave would remain so for years to come.

The planet was a remote world, lush but uninhabited by sentient life. It's discovery had been made by the Expeditionary Fleet, but the Empire had yet to settle it. Nox wondered what someone might make of the remnants of his experiment, he wondered if they could even conceive that all this glorious annihilation could be caused by one being. Perhaps they might even mistake his work for that of an orbital bombardment, so great was the destruction.

As Nox watched the flames, he was suddenly transported back to that place he saw only in his nightmares; the door. The face on the door, the horrifying, incomprehensible face of the Dark Side glared at him with the same hatred and malice he felt in the very core of his being, when suddenly it split open, the chains sealing it shut breaking like twigs as the gateway to godhood opened before him. He felt the power of the abyss rushing out like a tide, filling his being, trying to empty him out and replace him with itself.

He fought it with everything he had, but not to repel it, to subjugate it. He summoned all the power at his disposal and seized hold on the intangible essence that sought his soul. They grappled together, one being fighting the infinite power of the Void. Again and again it tried to consume him, again and again he fought to consume it. An eternity passed as they struggled, the Void filling Nox's ears with whispers of lies, half-truths, seductions, and promises. Nox ignored them, focusing all his energy, all his being into subduing it.

"You are not worthy." The voices hissed. "You are weak, mortal. You cannot fight ussss, you cannot resissst." And still he did.

"You will not conssume us. We are eternal, we are beyond you. We devour universess and conssume reality itself, you cannot fathom usssss." Nox summoned all his power, focusing it through the lens of his discipline, directing the entirety of his might directly at his intangible foe.

The thing screamed, countless voices crying out in a horrible howl of pain and hatred formed one monstrous cacophony that would have shook Nox to his very core, were he still mortal enough to have such emotions. Instead he devoured the unspeakable abomination, consuming it utterly, ingesting it into his very essence, not merely bonding with it, but assimilating it. The darkness was now inextricably part of him, and he of it. They were one and the same.

Slowly, Nox began to come back to himself. He began to feel his robes on his skin, his armor weighing him down, the ground beneath his back. He opened his eyes and saw, through the one-way lenses of his helm, the bright blue sky. He shakily got to his feet, quickly quelling his body's unconscious tremors through a mere exercise of will. He checked his chrono, and was shocked when he saw how much time had passed.

"Four standard days?" He asked himself incredulously. "I was out for four days?" A small price to pay for opening the way to godhood, he supposed. He signaled his ship's autopilot to bring the vessel in to land, the fires had burned out within the past day or two, as he could still see the coals burning in the blackened landscape all around him. When the ship arrived, it landed and extended its boarding ramp, which Nox ascended, turning back one last time to look upon the world that had birthed a god.

Left ravaged by his expression of power, the planet would bear the scar of that birth for years, possibly decades to come. Somehow, Nox felt that of all the worlds in the galaxy, of all the places where he could have been born into his new life, it was fitting that the place of his second birth was a nameless little world far from anywhere touched by sentient life. As he ascended the rest of the ramp and entered the ship, he made a mental note to mandate the world's name when he returned to Dromund Kaas. He was going to name it _Bogar_ , for it truly was "the beginning of darkness".

The six-headed Krayt dragon roared as it flew past Nox towards the planet hanging in space. Nox watched as it wrapped itself around the blue and green orb, its claws digging into the land, creating deep scars, the sparks of its breath fell like rain, scorching the planet's surface and leaving pockmarks where they fell. It turned its heads toward Nox and roared again. Nox could feel its power, and he could feel it growing stronger by draining the very life from the world.

The world, Nox realized looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. The dragon breathed fire and Nox felt the flames wash over him, but they did not harm him. Feeling his power rise up within him, he unleashed it in a storm of lightning from his fingertips that consumed the dragon, causing it to screech in pain, it's flesh and bones evaporating, leaving only a red and black pulsing heart. The heart drew closer to Nox of its own accord, and when it came within reach, he took it and stared at it. The thing was still beating, pulsing with power that flowed from it in waves. Suddenly he brought it to his mouth and swallowed it whole, despite it being as big as his head. He could feel its power surging in him, giving him strength and knowledge he had never experienced before, and he knew he was unstoppable.

Nox woke with a start, his eyes fixing on the gray ceiling of the captain's quarters. The _Midnight Shadow_ was on autopilot, travelling through hyperspace back to Dromund Kaas. Nox had retired to his quarters for the trip, deciding to sleep the time away.

 _Denova_. He started at the whisper in his thoughts, and he remembered why the planet in his dream looked familiar. _Denova_ , the thought came again, like a whisper from the Dark Side. Nox threw back the blankets and set his bare feet on the cold, metal floor. He spent the next few minutes refreshing himself and getting dressed. When he was finished he entered the bridge and, taking a seat in the captain's chair, told the autopilot to change course. He didn't believe the dream was coincidence, the Force was telling him that something was happening on Denova, something he needed to be there for, and if his hypothesis of the dream's interpretation was correct, then this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up.

The _Midnight Shadow_ landed in a clearing in the forests of Denova, the boarding ramp extending to touch the fertile-looking ground. The ship's engines shut down, and for a long time the ship remained there, seemingly vacant. If one could view it through the lens of the Force however, one could see that it was very much overflowing with power. The Dark Side was immensely strong inside that ship, and the power was growing by the minute.

Finally, after what seemed like a small eternity, Nox disembarked, the power leaving with him, surrounding him in a palpable aura. He looked out over the landscape, remembering the last time he had been here. Then he had fought the Republic as part of an elite commando squad assembled for the task, their goal to capture a series of turret emplacements set up between two bunkers. But that was history, this time he was going to make a much bigger, more memorable mark on this world. There was something else here as well, something new, a sinister but eerily familiar presence that hung in the air like a miasma. He shrugged it off scornfully, deciding to get to the bottom of it later.

Gathering his power, he summoned it in a whirlwind that shrouded him from view. Lightning flashed unnaturally within the miniature cyclone and in another moment the vortex took off at top speed, heading towards the far away sounds of battle.

Some time later, the maelstrom that Nox had become slowed its pace and dissipated. He was pleased to see he had torn through the enemy lines easily. While he could have simply used his abilities in stealth and his newfound abilities in the realm of Force flight he wanted to experiment with more offensive applications of his new powers. Thus far they were shaping up to be everything he had hoped for.

The reason he had slowed was because he sensed a strong disturbance in the Force up ahead, emerging from the brush he saw that the disturbance was entirely warranted. In a large clearing, two massive Drouks with humungous electric shackles fastened around their wrists and ankles paced. Nox could feel them through the Force, he could sense their small but focused minds and the unnaturally immense amount of will each of the monstrous creatures possessed. Normally, he wouldn't even try what he was about to do, the chance of failure would be all but certain and the consequences of failure were fatal, but Nox knew he had long surpassed the need for caution.

He reached out through the Force, summoning the Dark Side to bolster his strength. He felt the full extent of his power flow through him, filling him with malevolent energy that threatened to erupt from under his skin and disperse his molecules across the planet. He unleashed his power in a telepathic wave that struck the Drouk's minds, their immense willpower bending beneath the strength of Nox's hurricane-force mental attack. They growled in near unison, a low, rumbling sound that would have made nearby listeners think a groundquake was imminent, and they turned to move in on Nox, ready to tear him to shreds. But while Nox's mental assault battered their psyches with telepathic energy, it also slowed their brain and nervous systems down significantly. As a result the beast's movements seemed slow and ponderous compared to the pace they were actually capable of.

Suddenly, the electric cuffs on their wrists and ankles unleashed a blast of energy into both Drouks, causing them to stand up straight and roar in pain. Nox smiled to himself, their tamer, obviously in hiding, had seen the Drouk's slow advance and interpreted it as some form of disobedience rather than recognizing the enemy was applying the Force against his pets. The pain and shock of the cuffs fulfilled its designed purpose, temporarily distracting and breaking the will of those suffering from it. Nox sensed the weakness that opened up in the armor of the monster's stubborn minds, and he pushed, hard.

The Drouks both roared again and clutched at their heads, trying to fight off the sudden intrusion, but in moments, it was over. Their eyes glowed a faint purple as the Dark Side seized their will and enslaved it to Nox's own. The tamer, a Nikto in full battle armor, came rushing out of his hiding spot, yelling and screaming at the beasts to attack. Nox looked down at him for a moment, then wordlessly pointed at the enraged being. In response the twin Drouks moved in on their now nervous-looking trainer, he turned and tried to run, but it was far too late for that. Zorn, for that was the beasts name, Nox now knew, leapt forward, closing his massive paws around the fleeing Nikto's body. Toth, the other beast, caught up to him just as he was about to drop the screaming tamer into his maw, and indicated that they should share. With an eerie ignorance of the man's cries, the two Drouks split their meal slowly in half, so as to be absolutely fair, and enjoyed the little snack.

Nox looked on with great pleasure, waiting for them to swallow before mentally instructing them to move on into the cave that would lead them further in the direction from which he could sense the Dark Side calling to him.

Toth and Zorn charged out of the forest and across the open plain towards the two tanks raining fire and energy down on them. They pounded their massive fists on the thick armor of the combat vehicles, leaving more prominent impressions and indentations with each blow, even as their bodies were bombarded with extremely powerful and intense attacks. From a safe distance, Nox watched the battle with amusement, the two pilots controlling those tanks were so busy dealing with his two new pets that they would likely never notice him standing here, let alone piece together that simply destroying him would cause the Drouk's savage assault to cease. The irony was delicious, with only a few well-placed and well-timed missile barrages and energy bursts they could solve their problem, yet they remained incredibly ignorant to this despite the fact that Nox was merely eighty meters away, coolly watching the engagement as if it were a simple prizefight.

Within minutes Toth and Zorn had destroyed the guns of both tanks, and were proceeding to toss them around the battlefield like a pair of Zuuku birds trying to crack open some Welycima nuts. When they succeeded in breaking open the cockpits, they each grabbed the pilot of their chosen tank and swallowed the screaming, armored beings whole. Nox could feel the armor and flesh and bones of the pilots being ground between their teeth as if it were him chewing them. He could feel the blood and bodily fluids bursting from the mangled corpses like cream or juice from a tasty candy, and he found that the taste of sentient meat wasn't entirely unpleasant, or perhaps that was just a side effect of binding these monster's minds to his own. Either way, he decided not to take his new pets home, they would be too expensive to feed and too taxing to control in any case, but as long as they continued to be useful here he would use them.

The Drouks finished with their treats and stood awaiting further orders, he glanced at the nearby bunker, one thought echoing through his mind: _break_.

Nox watched from the top of the wall surrounding Kephess's fortress as the two Drouks engaged the Trandoshan in the courtyard below. The lizardman was in a giant three-legged walker, from the top of which he had proclaimed the glory of his killing of Nox's pets belonged to a group called "the masters" before engaging the beasts. He was accompanied by a small squad of advanced Imperial battledroids, which Toth and Zorn had merely crushed underfoot in their charge. Kephess seemed was the leader of the Trandoshan forces Nox had been plowing through for the past hour or two, and he didn't seem very happy about the two Drouks running amok. He was unaware however, of Nox's presence or role, and was merely fighting what he thought to be two beasts who had killed their tamer and were rampaging across the battlefield, killing everything in sight.

That was about to change. The walker Kephess was in was no mere hovertank that the two Drouks could handle on their own. Turning his focus inward, Nox began to draw on the bottomless well of dark power that lay within him, he felt it rising, filling him with a blackness as dark as space without stars. His hatred became transcendent, and his ire so great he felt he could not contain it. The sky overhead darkened with thick, ominous clouds, and lightning began to flash.

Suddenly a storm of violet lightning bolts erupted from the clouds overhead, striking at the surrounding area with a frequency and fury that easily matched any orbital bombardment. Struck by several bolts of lightning in the space of a few seconds, the walker began to shudder and spark, its movements becoming jerkier and its limbs spasming periodically. The Drouks however, remained completely unaffected, the storm's fury seeming to bend itself around them in a way too unnatural to be coincidence.

The walker finally groaned its last as a massive explosion rocked it and sent it tumbling to the ground. From the wreckage burst a massive Trandoshan wielding twin techblades. Nox realized with some astonishment that he was easily twice as big as Khem Vaal. The last time Nox had seen a Trandoshan anywhere close to that size was on Darth Malgus's space station, and that creature had been the result of Imperial biogenetic experimentation in creating artificial gigantism, how this "Warlord Kephess" had achieved such size and ferocity without outside intervention was a mystery.

Still, despite his large size he was an insect compared to the Drouks, and they sought to use their size against him, ripping apart the walker and tossing large pieces at him, or attempting to seize and crush him. But Kephess knew how to use the size difference to his own advantage, he darted and leaped about like one of the bolts of the storm still raging around him, striking quickly at the Drouk's weak points and then retreating beyond their reach before they could get a hold on him. He even managed to dodge the bolts of lightning pouring down from the now pitch-black sky, his reflexes seeming to be unnaturally enhanced.

Still channeling the power of the storm, Nox noticed a door on the west side of the courtyard open and a large group of Trandoshan mercenaries flood out. He shifted the focus of the maelstrom towards the unlucky lizards and a storm of lightning bolts from the dark violet clouds incinerated their bodies, leaving only charred armor behind. The lightning appeared to have set off everything on them that was explosive, thus the totality of their disintegration. Shifting the focus of the storm back towards Kephess, the Trandoshan noticed the sudden change and disengaged from his Drouk opponents, scanning the area while remaining out of reach of the Drouks, who were taking up pursuit.

Spotting Nox perched atop the wall, he croaked something in his native language and made a seemingly impossible leap that sent him hurtling straight towards Nox in defiance of every law of physics. Combined with the oppressive presence that he had sensed upon arriving on Denova, Nox realized that there was only one way this Force-blind lizard could achieve something like that, even as he willed Zorn's hand to smack the Trandoshan back down onto the durasteel floor of the courtyard. His suspicions were confirmed a moment later when Kephess unleashed a horrifying half-roar half-screech and a familiar aura of dark energy erupted around him. The power was far, far stronger than Nox remembered it, but the intensity only made it more unmistakable, it was the power of the Dread Masters.

Nox watched as Kephess used the power of the Masters to ravage the large Drouks, battering and cowing them despite them being large enough to crush him with a well-placed stomp. Watching the battle play out, Nox knew it would not be long before the two Drouks fell completely to Kephess's power, and despite his recent practice with his new abilities, Nox was entirely unsure as to whether he could defeat Kephess in combat on his own.

There was, however, one way he could end this now and with absolute certainty, and with only a moment of hesitation, Nox took it. He released his hold on the unnatural lightning storm, allowing it to diminish and fade, even as he began to channel that power in a new direction. One by one, he began fulfilling the rites of an ancient ritual he had recently learned, amplifying its strength a thousand fold with his borrowed power. He felt the rites of the ritual lock into place one by one, and when he completed the final rite, he initiated the ceremony.

Toth and Zorn screamed in pain as every ounce of energy in their bodies was suddenly stripped from them and siphoned into Nox. Realizing what his opponent intended to do, the Kephess leaped at his foe once more, coming down on Nox just as the dark lord unleashed the ritual's power on him. The Trandoshan stopped in midair, and began to squirm and howl as the power was stripped forcefully from his mortal body. He began to shrink and weaken, his large techblades becoming too large and heavy for him to hold, causing them to clatter to the ground below.

The painful process burned the power right out of him, causing him to scream as the dark energies the Dread Masters had bound to his form were eradicated by the ritual. Suddenly, the ritual structure collapsed and Nox had to put up a solid wall of resistance to keep from being blown off the wall by the Force explosion that resulted. Kephess's seemingly lifeless body was thrown across the courtyard to bounce with several sickening crunches until it finally rolled to a stop, face-up.

Nox leaped off of his perch, levitating to the ground through Force flight and approached his enemy's corpse, reaching for his lightsaber hooked onto his belt. He suddenly noticed a surge in Dark Side energy in the surrounding area, and the light of the day suddenly became a lot dimmer.

" _Insects interfere, they do not understand._ " An ominous voice rang out, appearing to be both in Nox's mind and his ears at the same time. In several flashes of dark energy the shadowy forms of the six Dread Masters appeared before him, their combined aura washing over him like a tide of fear and malice. A lesser being would have been cowed instantly, some might have even died of terror on the spot, but Nox knew darkness that very few had ever known, and he stood strong and defiant in their presence.

" _We are the six. The Dread Masters. Heed our warning._ " The one Nox recognized as Dread Master Raptus said.

"I freed you on Belsavis," Nox reminded him, his tone that of a man speaking to a group of his overconfident, arrogant peers. "You will not tell me what to do, Dread Masters. You have yet to make good on your promise to teach me the ways of terror."

" _We do not make promises._ " Dread Master Bestia hissed. " _That which we do not rule we destroy._ "

" _Imprisoned, our power faded._ " Dread Master Brontes said.

" _Now we are free._ " Dread Master Raptus said threateningly. " _Now we are strong._ "

" _Denova was a test._ " Dread Master Styrak explained. " _Weak minds twisted and turned._ "

"Why do you defy the Emperor?" Nox demanded suddenly. "Why have you turned against the Empire?"

" _The Emperor was strong._ " Raptus said, with what might have been a note of respect. " _He spoke to us, guided us._ "

" _Now the Emperor is quiet._ " Brontes said, crossing her arms in front of her. " _None who remain are worthy of our loyalty._ "

Nox snarled. "I'm a Lord of the Dark Council. I took everything I have through power and cunning, I now wield power equal to none that came before me nor any that will come after me. I'm easily your equal and my power is rivaled by only Vitiate himself, if there is any being in the galaxy you should answer to now, it's me!"

" _You are not worthy._ " Calaphyus said matter-of-factly, and Nox recognized his voice as the one that had first spoken before any of the Masters had appeared.

"Then I will prove my power to you!" Nox hissed, leaning forward in a summoning posture. A burst of dark power emanated out from him, but the Masters extended their hands, palms outward, as one, and a shield enveloped their ethereal forms, the wave of dark power breaking over it like a wave over rocks on the shoreline.

" _We care nothing for the Emperor or the Empire now._ " Calaphyus continued, as if nothing had happened. " _We serve a higher purpose._ "

" _Kephess was our tool, our vessel._ " Brontes extrapolated.

" _The vessel is damaged._ " Styrak said with a hint of condemnation in his voice. " _It must be repaired._ "

" _Kephess is ours._ " Bestia said. " _Heed this warning, do NOT interfere again._ "

" _The Dread Masters have spoken._ " Raptus said with finality.

Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, they vanished, and the oppressive gloom that had gathered dispersed, allowing the sunlight to filter down through the clouds once more. Nox stood there for a long moment, pleased that his ploy had worked. The Dread Masters now saw him as nothing more than a nuisance, a gnat to be crushed whenever it became too bothersome. Thanks to his little outburst they thought him weak and unworthy of their notice, they were severely underestimating him, and that would allow him to continue investigating their activities largely unhindered, while his power grew.

He drew his lightsaber, activated it, and advanced on Kephess's lifeless corpse. Raising the weapon high above his head, he buried it in the Trandoshan's heart.

"Repair that." He spat, as the blade retracted into the hilt. Suddenly he heard a crackling over the comm and the unmistakable noise of an approaching squad of fighters. Using the Force, he cloaked himself and took off, shooting into the sky like a bolt from an anti-air cannon. He turned back to watch as the squad of bombers rained fire down upon the now empty fortress, and a malicious smile touched his lips.

Raze walked down the long hall towards the throne room of the fortress on Deriada Minor. He had returned here to meditate in absolute solitude so he could clearly analyze his circumstances and formulate his plans for the future. Nothing disturbed him as he walked, the nightmarish shadow entity that had attacked him on his first visit was gone, its power now bound to him after their last encounter, and its consciousness annihilated as a result.

Reaching the throne room, he swung the doors open, walking through them and into the hollow expanse of the chamber. Behind him, the doors swung shut, leaving him alone in the room. A beam of red-tinted light filtered down through the skylight, illuminating what would have seemed like an empty void in the absence of any light.

Approaching the dais, Raze mounted the few steps of the platform and seated himself on the throne, activating the control console. In a few minutes he had the schematics, blueprints, and specifications for the fortress in front of him. He sifted through them carefully, absorbing as much basic information as he could to get a more intimate understanding of the stronghold's inner workings, after nearly a standard hour of intense study, he found the solution.

"Harkanous." he said into the comm.

"Yes my lord?" came the instant reply.

"Do we have several X-35T backup generators on board any of our ships?" There was a slight pause, then:

"I believe so Darth Raze, if you'll give me a moment to confirm."

"Do it." The channel cut out, only to come back on in a few minutes.

"My lord, I've confirmed that were are in possession of five X-35T's."

"Good." Raze said. "I want them brought down to the planet at the same landing coordinates as my shuttle."

"We'll get on that right away my lord, but it will take some time."

"Understood, I'm sending you a map of the fortress your men will see upon their arrival, with the spots where I want the generators installed marked. Tell your engineers to work as cautiously as possible, take extra time if necessary, but I don't want any mistakes."

"It will be done, my lord."

"And one more thing," Raze added, "I wish not to be disturbed unless an issue of the highest priority arises."

"As you say." Commander Harkanous assured him and Raze closed the channel.

Leaning back in the throne Raze stared up at the red sky he could see through the skylight, allowing his thoughts to wander as he slipped into a light meditative trance. His battle with Master Selimo had proven what he had suspected to be true; his power was growing, his skill increasing. The trials of his past missions, and possibly his exposure to his master's power, was strengthening him. Still, he held some doubts that he had surpassed Darth Nox, despite his master's apparent fear and slothfulness.

Fear was, after all, the only explanation for Nox's betrayal of him. Raze knew he was far too valuable to his master for Nox to simply discard him like a used up tool. His many successes and his abundant loyalty made him unique among Sith, his master was not blind, surely he could see the value in keeping Raze at his command? Yet it seemed his master's fear of him, of his growing power, had completely overridden the notions of logic and reason, driving Nox to such ends as betraying his most powerful and valuable apprentice. The thought disgusted Raze, his master should have known better, Raze had been very open about his adherence to the way of the Sith, particularly the part that demanded the apprentice one day kill and replace the master. Darth Nox had known what he was getting into from the start, which is what made this apparent paranoia so out-of-character.

Raze frowned, could the artifact have been deceiving him? Seeing the future, was, after all, never a sure thing. Even the most clear and accurate visions were only the most likely possibility, rather than a certainty. But the cost was too great anyway, he could not afford to assume that the vision was false, or it could cost him his life, a life he couldn't afford to lose, not yet.

But what to do? He couldn't challenge Nox openly, not now. His master was too influential, and likely wielded as much power as ever, despite his reluctance to use it decisively. If Raze wanted to challenge Nox on equal terms, he needed to expand his powerbase as quickly and discretely as possible. His master had eyes and ears everywhere, so there was no telling what kind of information could work its way back to him.

Raze settled more comfortably into the seat and began to meditate intensively on the problem. After nearly an hour of brainstorming and internal deliberations he had a plan; If he couldn't stop word of his actions from reaching his master's ears, than he would have to hide his true motives in plain sight, behind a facade of bloodlust and militarism. A string of campaigns against rival Sith resulting in the takeover of their power bases and seizing of their resources would be seen, not just by his master, but by all witnesses as a blatant power grab, whereas a string of campaigns against Republic systems and the seizure of Republic territory, resources, and property would simply be seen as claiming the spoils of war. One method would invite scrutiny and suspicion, the other would barely even register on the radar of most observers. It was obvious which path he should take.

He activated the commlink in his ear and the voice of Commander Harkanous answered immediately; "My lord, what is your desire?"

"Are the installations finished?" Raze demanded.

"They should be done soon my lord, most of the teams are simply running the standard double-checks, making sure everything is in place."

Raze activated the holographic console, and found that three of the five generators were operational, the facility had enough energy to be rebooted on full power. With a few keystrokes, Raze activated the fortress's main power grid and suddenly the throne room was bathed in red light. The hundreds of small illuminators situated in tiny alcoves around the room blanketed the chamber in a low, sinister crimson hue, providing enough light to cast shadows in every corner of the room.

Behind his mask, Raze smiled. He would build a power base that Darth Nox wouldn't believe him capable of, and that started right here, right now.

"Commander." He said into his commlink. "Prepare for my return, I want to be ready to jump to hyperspace by the time my shuttle enters the hanger bay."

"Right away Darth Raze." Harkanous said with crisp professionalism. Raze deactivated the commlink and stood to his feet, walking in measured stride towards the huge double doors. He vowed that his legacy would begin right here, right now, and that no-one, not even Darth Nox himself, would stop him from achieving his destiny.

Nox was walking nonchalantly past the _Midnight Shadow's_ holoterminal when it detected his presence and beeped in an attempt to get his attention. Turning at the sound, Nox strode over to the control panel and noticed that he had a message in his inbox. Opening it, he stepped back as the recording began to play.

"Darth Nox." the young man in the recording bowed, "Colonel Jadick, Imperial Reclamation Service reporting. We're having a first-contact scenario with a primeval species. General Threnoldt's made his report to the Dark Council, and they've surrendered the situation to your jurisdiction. When I say these beings existed eons before the Rakata Infinite Empire, I'm not exaggerating. I'm doing my best to communicate but you...you'll want to be here."

The image faded, and Nox moved in to dial the call-back number attached to the message. When the image of Colonel Jadick flickered to life, the man bowed, as if imitating his own recording. "Darth Nox, it's always a pleasure my lord."

Ignoring the abasement, Nox addressed the young human with simmering anger. "General Threnholdt should have made his report to me directly, I don't appreciate my underlings going behind my back to the Dark Council."

"You could not be reached my lord, and time was an extremely urgent factor. The general did ensure that authority in the matter would ultimately fall to you."

Nox was reminded of his recent experiment on Bogar and the battle on Denova. He had been out of contact, and Threnholdt had genuinely followed Imperial procedure to the letter, but he still didn't feel placated. He buried his resentment and anger under layers of rationality and pragmatism, returning to a more calm demeanor, even as the storm of emotions ravaged his insides.

"Very well, what exactly is so urgent?"

"My lord," Jadick said as a second image, this one far from humanoid, flickered into existence beside him. "May I present Administrator General Lalat'k of the Gree Enclave." He immediately turned to the Gree. "This is the black bisector I was telling you about, he is red obtuse, I assure you."

"Fledgling species, find attentiveness!" The Gree trilled in his alien tongue. "Urgency is requisite. We must align purple parallel before more yellow concave actualizes." Nox knew enough Gree to understand what the Administrator General was saying. Even if the language was impossible to vocalize without being a Gree it was still possible for a humanoid to understand it. He felt inclined to ask what "yellow concave" had Lalat'k so worried, but the tentacled alien expanded upon his assertion before Nox could speak. "After exponential solar cycles, a grand hypergate has opened! Green perpendicular flows freely from it!"

"Green perpendicular?" Nox said in momentary confusion. He knew, in the mathematical language of the Gree, that "perpendicular" meant something hostile towards or opposed to you. But he thought green indicated something good...

"Green is an expression of severity my lord." Jadick said, unknowingly reminding Nox of the colors meaning to the species. "A green perpendicular would be either a powerful enemy or a devastating conflict. In this case its likely both."

"Ah yes, thank you Colonel." Nox felt briefly ashamed of himself. He'd allowed his own conceptions about colors and their meanings to infiltrate his interpretation of the Gree language. While to most species green was a pleasing or soothing color indicating success, permission to do something, or an indication of progress, to the Gree it was an expression of the negative.

"I live to serve my lord." Jadick said humbly.

Nox turned to Lalat'k, "How did this happen? What caused the hypergate to open?"

"Invaders!" The Gree spat, as well as he could without anything that could really be called a mouth or saliva glands. "Foolish foreign species attempting thievishness no doubt. Assurances were produced that Operator droids provided necessary defenses. Produced statement tested false. The grand hypergate must evolve blue octagon...purple concave if inevasible. Else our galaxy is doomed to endless yellow concave. Republic allies have failed to obtain orange equilateral. If Imperial allies can process a blue octagon, the Gree enclave will actualize gratitude."

"Actualize it in what form?" Nox asked in interest.

"If Imperial black bisector evolves a purple parallel, Empire researcher caste may query Gree purple acute."

"My lord-!" Colonel Jadick gasped. "He-"

"I heard him, Colonel." Nox said sternly. "Is this your only condition, Lalat'k? Or do you have more demands?"

"Imperial black bisector is also red acute, I was right to seek purple parallel here." Lalat'k said, obviously pleased with himself and the progression of the conversation. "In return for Gree purple acute Empire warrior caste will enforce Administrator authoritativeness. That Operator droids were rendered yellow concave is purple tangent, such yellow obtuse makes thorough Administrator oversight requisite."

Nox nodded his understanding. "You and I are red parallel, Administrator. Authoritativeness is always purple acute when evolving a black sphere to orange parallel. We have a deal."

"I am hopeful Imperial Operators will exceed predicted results." The Administrator said.

"Administrator Lalat'k has provided optimal hyperspace routes to the grand hypergate's location on Asation." Colonel Jadick said, addressing Nox as he pulled a datapad out of his back pocket and began typing. "I'm sending them to you now." The holoterminal chimed as the data came in, and Nox set to uploading it to the ship's navigational computer. "May the Force be with you my lord." Colonel Jadick said as the holo-images faded into nothing, and the Midnight Shadow dropped out of hyperspace.

Several minutes later, the ship's hyperdrive once more reactivated and the vessel vanished into hyperspace.

The _Midnight Shadow_ swooped low over the Gree fortress that guarded the hypergate, countless sliced weapon emplacements opening fire at the vessel as it passed overhead. The weapons were sophisticated and powerful, being of Gree design, but the _Shadow_ was equipped with the best weaponry and shielding the known galaxy had to offer. As Nox unleashed a salvo of missiles that annihilated a set of gun emplacements and peeled off, he thanked the Force he had given Andronikos an unlimited budget when he had asked him to make the _Midnight Shadow_ the toughest, fastest, most devastating ship of its class in the galaxy. The pirate had sought out and installed the best possible weaponry and shielding, both in regards to potency and efficiency, and it was paying dividends.

Despite the intense fire from the commandeered fortress's weapon emplacements, Nox was managing to obliterate the enemy weaponry before it pierced his shields, thanks both to his vessel's advanced upgrades and his own Force reflexes. Despite his great power in the Force, now amplified once more by the ritual of Power Transfer, he couldn't match Andronikos's skillful flying. No amount of reflexes could truly compensate for whole decades of experience. Even so, Nox performed quite well, dodging enough salvos to keep the shields active in the face of the powerful blasts unleashed by the Gree cannons below.

Coming in for another run, Nox destroyed even more gun emplacements with a mixture of blaster cannons and missile fire. With each pass he made more and more emplacements go up in flames and the _Midnight Shadow's_ shields simply regenerated to full capacity on the out swing, allowing him to brave enemy fire again and again. When Nox had finally destroyed enough emplacements, he took to circling the fortress, taking sustained enemy fire in order to purge the fortress of its defenses in a rain of plasma. Finishing the job, Nox pulled out and began to loop around for a final pass. Moving quickly, he put the ship in autopilot, programming it to stay within comm range, and moved to the exit, the airlock sliding open and the ramp extending while the ship barreled down on the burning fortress.

Nox waited until he sensed the hypergate rushing up to meet them before leaping from the extended ramp. The ship automatically sealed itself and took off into the sky as Nox landed lightly on the solid metal floor of the outdoor space that preceded the hypergate and its control console. Straightening up, Nox was shocked to see a massive creature roughly two or three times the size of the average Gundark hunched over the controls, tapping away with its clumsy fingers, the stink of the Dread Masters emanating from it like a miasma.

" _What was sundered will be made whole. You cannot stop it._ " The ominous, disembodied voice of Dread Master Calaphyus boomed.

"Just watch me, you insignificant worm." Nox muttered under his breath.

" _Our vision transcends the dark of space._ " Calphayus continued, as if he hadn't heard Nox. In all likelihood, he hadn't." _Soon our reach will span the stars._ " _Vessel,_ " He said to the creature." _open the way._ "

The monster finished a series of rapid movements interacting with the hypergate's holographic control panel and stood back to admire it's handiwork as the gate flared and increased in size and stability.

"Full power to the hypergate!" The monster hissed in triumph as energy flowed into the gate, widening the breach in spacetime. He whirled on the approaching Nox. "Too late. Too late, little insects. It is time that I thank you for shattering that weak body so I could be reborn!"

"Reborn?" Nox asked quizzically, "what are you talking about, beast?"

"Look upon the chosen!" The creature hissed. "See what death could not claim!" With that, the creature charged, its massive bulk barreling towards Nox. Feeling his hatred rise up within him, Nox unleashed it in a thick river of hungry lightning bolts that eagerly wrapped themselves around his foe, siphoning his life force even as they scorched and burned the scaly skin.

To the beast's credit, it didn't even slow down. It reached Nox in seconds and raised a fist to crush him, only for the clawed hand to sink into the metal floor with a loud thud. Nox was already on the move, circling around to blast the monster from behind with another burst of violet lightning. Responding to the provocation, the brute turned and lumbered after his tormentor with surprising speed.

"Today I feast!" He growled as he closed in on Nox. But the Dark Lord was too quick, and once again the being's fists met the unnatural surface of the ground. Nox blasted his foe with more lightning, but this time the monster stood still. Suddenly, a bolt of power launched itself from one of the many hypergate towers surrounding their battlefield, striking the massive cybernetic implant Nox had seen on the creature's back. At first Nox waited for the creature to cry out in pain, but instead, the hissing, growling voice of the beast reverberated across the landscape in triumphant ecstasy.

"My blood boils! I can feel the power, it wants to be free!"

Nox quickly deduced that the strange lightning strike was not a random occurrence but the creature charging some kind of weapon system. Seeing the strange implant on the monster's chest beginning to glow, Nox quickly realized what was about to happen and moved with preternatural speed, ducking behind the nearest hypergate tower, just as the beast turned and unleashed its devastating blast on him. The heat was nearly unbearable, and the energy sheared into the pillar that was supposed to be sheltering him as if it was made of water. Nox had to summon far more strength than he liked to prevent his atoms from flying apart like Peyko bugs in a strong wind. He quickly erected a Force Barrier around himself before the second blast came, and he weathered the ordeal far easier.

"Cower and die!" The colossus growled before he unleashed a third blast at Nox, now nearly completely exposed behind the remnants of the hypergate pillar. His Force Barrier protected him well, and the instant the blast ceased and the giant reptilian lumbered towards him, Nox let the barrier collapse into Force armor and drew his lightsaber, running to meet the leviathan's charge. At the last second he slid beneath the beast's grasping swipe and in between its legs, his lightsaber carving light scorch marks into the creature's skin.

Snarling, the monster whirled on him, but he had already leaped atop it's back and plunged his lightsaber into one of its implants, causing the beast to howl in pain. It shook him off, causing him to fly through the air to land on his feet several meters away. Roaring in abject rage, the brute charged him again, trying to pummel him with its massive fists, but still the Dark Lord was too quick. Moving like a wraith, he scarred and scorched his foe's scaly skin with hundreds of lightsaber blows, damaging several of the beast's cybernetics and enraging it further.

"There will be no return for you. Only broken bones and spilled blood!" The mammoth reptile roared as another bolt of lightning launched from one of the pillars into his back. Nox quickly disappeared behind another pillar as the blast tore into the pillar behind where he had been standing. Re-orienting himself, the beast unleashed a second blast at the pillar Nox was behind. The energy tore through the pillar, only to reveal that Nox was no longer there. A flash of purple light at the edge of the creature's vision caused it to turn and release the third blast at the place, only for the energy to incinerate another of the hypergate's pillars.

The vortex swirling beyond the control panel was beginning to waver and its growth rate was beginning to slow. Each pillar destroyed caused a minor fluctuation in the gate's power grid, but the creature was too busy to notice.

Nox, however, noticed very quickly how each pillar's destruction affected the gate, and an idea began to form in his mind. He stopped in his tracks and began channeling his full power. The heavy grey clouds that always filled Asation's skies suddenly became black and the air was charged with electricity. Lightning bolts began raining down from the sky, enveloping the battlefield in pure, destructive energy. Multiple bolts struck the remaining hypergate power pylons in rapid succession, as the scaled titan tried to shelter himself from the fury of the storm.

"I have seen beyond death. You think I fear you?" He challenged Nox, still bold despite the awesome display of power Nox was providing him.

All the pylons began to glow, and with an explosive tremor in the Force, they self-destructed, unleashing a wave of unnatural energy that simply passed over Nox but struck the beast from all sides. Roaring in pain, the monster dropped to his hands and knees, struggling to stay conscious. Nox unleashed a river of dark lightning at him once more, eagerly sapping his vitality and using it to feed the growing darkness that writhed throughout his entire being.

Suddenly, the fiend threw himself to his feet, throwing his head back and unleashing an unholy screeching howl before launching himself an impossible distance into the air to land on one of the remaining hypergate control pylons. Larger and better insulated than the power pylons, these control pylons were the only thing in the immediate area besides the hypergate that had survived the storm.

"I am above pain! I am above fear! I am death given form!" The titan roared before launching himself off the pylon and coming crashing down not five meters from where Nox was standing. Nox threw up a kinetic barrier to block the shockwave, but despite his efforts he was thrown back several meters. Back flipping to land on his feet, he landed just in time to see that the impact had disturbed the very ground itself and a physical shockwave of earth and metal was radiating out towards him. He backflipped once more to dodge the wave just as the brute slammed his fists into the ground, creating another kinetic shockwave that struck Nox in mid-air and knocked him back and to the ground, temporarily disorienting him.

Getting to his feet, Nox cursed himself for allowing this Sithspawn to get the better of him. The aforementioned Sithspawn bore down on him now, screeching a battlecry: "Rrraugh! Die!" Weakened and enraged, he was lashing out like a cornered animal. Despite the added viciousness this berserker rage entailed, Nox was fine with it. Scared and angry beasts made more mistakes.

Suddenly Nox felt something was very wrong. He barely dodged a two-fisted slam attack by his opponent and resorted to further defensive maneuvers as he slipped deeper into the Dark Side to determine the source of his unease. Looking through the Force, he detected microscopic intruders in his body, damaging his cells. He couldn't sense them through the Force, and on a hunch he unleashed a burst of lightning into the air. The lightning seemed to fry the very air itself, and when Nox noticed specks of fine black dust dropping to the ground, he knew his suspicions had been confirmed.

Nanites were attacking his body. Released from the leviathan's cyber implants they were attacking his cellular structure in an attempt to undermine him. Reaching out to the Force, Nox rallied his body to the defense. His immune system kicked into overdrive, cells and their organelles began multiplying and attacking the invaders with unrivalled efficiency. Nox felt his strength returning as the invasion of his body was crushed beneath the might of the Force.

The brute leaped at him, his massive bulk aiming launching itself into the air in defiance of physics. Nox slipped several meters to the side to avoid the impact and the shockwave that followed. He immediately counter-attacked with his lightsaber, moving like a phantom, forever just out of reach of his foe's grasping claws.

The beast growled, snarled and howled as Nox landed blow after blow on his opponent. The creature's scaly skin protected it from being sliced into a thousand pieces, but not from being peppered with an insufferable amount of gashes and cuts. Nox unleashed withering bursts of darkness and lightning as well, complimenting his Force attacks with quick lightsaber strikes, even as he thwarted the monster's efforts to pummel or crush him.

Nox felt the darkness rising within him, gnawing and hungry. He unleashed it in several blasts of depredating volts that slammed into his weakened enemy ravaging the colossus's body inside and out. The darkness wrapped itself around Nox, strengthening his Force armor as it made him its vessel.

The Sithspawn howled; "Masters! The power wanes! I crave more!"

The voice of Dread Master Calaphyus boomed in disdainful response. " _We have no use for a tool that continues to break. Your purpose is fulfilled._ "

Roaring in pain and rage, mortars began to launch themselves from many of the strange cybernetic implants throughout the creature's body as the power of the Dread Masters began to unleash itself from the creature's form in waves. Nox ignored the firestorm and maelstrom in the Force, simply moving in to battle his opponent, his enhanced Force armor sheltering him from the explosions all around him and the waves of dark power crashing over him. By now the creature's carapace was little more than scar tissue, and it gave way easily before Nox's lightsaber, allowing him to damage the soft flesh beneath.

Lost in a berserker rage, the monster attempted to ravage Nox with his fists, but the darkness was so strong in him that the beasts attacks had absolutely no effect on him, as if Nox's density had been multiplied a thousandfold, preventing him from even being moved by any application of kinetic force.

Nox continued to tear apart the titan's failing body, finally finishing the beast with an upward leap that split its belly clean open then immediately following that up with a decapitating sweep. The headless body toppled over, the head bouncing and rolling to a stop several meters from the hypergate console.

Nox looked down at his headless foe's corpse, the last words of Dread Master Calaphyus echoing through his mind: _a tool that continues to break_...what did he mean by that? The words of the monster himself came back to him then: I have seen beyond death. You think I fear you? There will be no return for you! Thank you for shattering that weak body so I could be reborn!

The pieces began to fall into place, but the picture it created was one too incredible to believe. The Sithspawn was Kephess? The same Kephess Nox had killed only days earlier on Denova? It seemed impossible, absolutely ludicrous, but no other answer made any sense. Nox supposed the only method of resurrection that made such a miracle possible was using the ritual of Essence Transfer on the dying Trandoshan and placing his spirit into a new, stronger body created by Sith alchemy and cybernetics. Although the fact that the Dread Masters had somehow managed to do so within the space of a few days and dispatch the lizard immediately on another mission was astounding.

Just what kind of power of the Dread Masters really have? Nox asked himself as he walked towards the hypergate console. Am I underestimating them? If I didn't see this coming what else might I miss until it's too late? I need to be fully prepared for a confrontation, he decided. That means research and preparation. I will need to investigate all their future activities and prepare myself accordingly.

Reaching the console, he began interacting the with holographic display in an attempt to shut the hypergate down, but the gate had already received too much power, even before the destruction of the power pylons, and the storm Nox had unleashed appeared to have damaged the control pylons, meaning the conventional avenues of controlling the hypergate were inaccessible. The gate opened wider and began to suck in objects in the near vicinity. Seeing this, Nox sped up his efforts to close the gate, his hands and fingers flying across the display.

Suddenly, an incorporeal tendril shot out from the hypergate, wrapping itself around the headless corpse of Kephess and beginning to drag him towards the gate. Nox allowed himself to be distracted by the strange spectacle for only a moment before returning to frantically trying to close the hypergate.

Just as a jangle of foreboding rattled its way into his skull, he felt something ethereal wrap around his ankle. With a quick yank, he was knocked to his feet and dragged to the edge of the console platform, only managing to grab onto the edge at the last second. For a moment he hung there, battling with the tentacle to see who was stronger, then he was pulled free of the platform, and flew through the air into the yawning maw of the hypergate.

Nox felt as if he were nowhere and everywhere at once. His perception was scattered and confused, he felt strangely dislocated from the notion of space. Looking around him, he could see that he was floating in what he recognized as hyperspace. But that was impossible. Any organism unlucky or foolish enough to somehow become exposed to hyperspace during a jump was disintegrated by the alien winds of the strange dimension, their very atoms ripped apart from each other and scattered across space, never to be reunited again.

Yet somehow, Nox was simply floating in it, watching the strange energies swirling all around him. Something moved at the edge of his vision, and realizing he was not alone, he turned his head to see what it was that was in here with him. When he saw it he nearly went mad. A tangle of tentacles writhed before him, a body structure from which they might originate seeming to be non-existent. The thing's entire mass seeming to be composed of tentacles that sprouted from each other, with each off shooting tentacle being smaller than its originator. On all of the limbs were small groups of sentient but empty and soulless eyes that spoke of a consciousness completely alien to anything Nox had ever encountered, a mind that thought in unrecognizable patterns.

The creature was massive, the wriggling heap of oily appendages seeming to stretch out for an incomprehensible distance in every direction, and Nox found himself wondering how he had even failed to see it in the first place. With growing horror, Nox began to see gaping wounds in its flesh ringed by what could only be teeth. The mouths gnawed and hissed, strange-coloured slime dripping freely from them like drool.

Many of the creatures seemingly countless eyes fixed themselves on Nox, the tentacles they were on twisting and contorting themselves to put him view, and many of the mouths opened wide and roared. The terrible screech caused Nox to reach up and seal the auditory inputs on his helm in an attempt to stop the terrible sound from driving him further towards insanity, but with terror he soon realized that the scream was as much in his mind as his ears. He clutched his head in his hands, trying to cling to his will as the attack desecrated his reason.

Then, mercifully, it ended. Nox relaxed his concentration and for the first time, felt the beast's Force aura wash over him like a stench. It reeked of the Dark Side. Whatever this abomination was, it was deeply attuned to the Dark Side of the Force, and Nox could feel its hatred and desire to devour and destroy. Whatever nightmarish dimension this creature had come from, it certainly couldn't be anything Nox would find familiar or comprehensible.

Nox began to gather his power in preparation for the fight, he could feel the creature's malice and ironic abhorrence of him, but suddenly the anger and hatred of the monster vanished, replaced by acknowledgement and something that might have been fearful respect. All but a few of the eyes turned away from him, and the creature seemed to relax back into a more passive state, its mouths closed or chewing and gnawing quietly. Nox was confused at first, before he realized that the monster had reacted to his power. Sensing its kinship with him through the Dark Side of the Force, it had recognized him as an equal and decided not to attack him.

Then Nox felt a slight prick on his mental defenses, nothing like the mind-shattering screech the abomination had unleashed earlier. Where that attack could have been considered breaking down the door, this was more like knocking politely on it. Tentatively, Nox opened his mind just a little, allowing a small fraction of the creature's simultaneously fascinating and horrifying consciousness to enter the courtyard of his intellect. Their minds grazed against each other, and Nox would have gasped at the sheer oddity and upside-down nature of the being's thoughts had his mind not become completely disconnected from his body by this point.

Millions of indiscernible and incomprehensible thoughts and sensations flew through Nox's mind as they both opened their minds more and more. He could sense the creature was having the same reaction to his own mind and thoughts, although with markedly more curiosity and eagerness. Out of the swirling fog of chaos that was the being's mind, Nox began to perceive and identify recognizable concepts. As he discovered more and more of that information, he began to piece together what the creature was.

Originating from another dimension entirely, one filled with many more creatures that were incredibly diverse in their forms, shapes, and capabilities, the monster was one of those powerful enough in the Force to breach the barriers between dimensions and explore existence beyond the confines of its realm. The closest concept Nox could think of to accurately describe the creature's role in its home universe was that of an explorer, discovering new universes and dimensions and bringing what it learned back to share with those amongst its own kind that were believed worthy of the knowledge.

Through its eyes, Nox could see many of those it consorted with. There was a beast resembling a humanoid invertebrate with wings, facial tentacles, rubbery and oily black skin, and shining yellow eyes filled with hatred and rage. The creature's name, or at least the concept that the monster Nox was communicating with used to identify and differentiate it from the others, was unpronounceable, but bore a terrifying resemblance to countless names used by the ancient ancestors of various species to identify a horrific beast with godlike powers that was said to dwell in the deepest depths of the deepest ocean on every world.

Another beast was a shapeless yellow blob of octopi-like appendages that were in constant, writhing motion. Yet another was a great mouth surrounded by a similar morass of tenticular appendages. The third entity was a massive, humanoid frog-like creature with a single cyclopean eye, many clawed hands, and a vertical, lipless mouth. The fourth was an amorphous behemoth so hideous and revolting with a Dark Side aura so strong that Nox had no doubt the only thing protecting his mind from being irreparably damaged at the mere sight of it was that he was viewing it through this creature's memories and not in person.

Eagerly turning away from the collection of memories, he moved more towards the recollections of the creature's past interactions with dimensions and universes similar to his own. There he found memories of the creature's interactions with other sentient species. It had encountered the Gree in the far distant past, when their civilization was still young, and through trying to study them had become known as an enemy and aggressor. Even now its spawn had been unleashed through the hypergate, dispatched by the abomination to gather information and transmit it back through a psychic link, the monsters unwittingly inflicting terror and suffering on all who encountered them. The Gree no doubt had recognized the creature's spawn from ancient records and thus identified their progenitor.

He found more memories of experiments of social, psychological, and biological natures conducted on humanoids and similar sentients from countless universes similar to his own. Some experiments were quite fascinating and inspired, others even Nox found sickening or revolting. But there was never any emotion attached to them. The monster had conducted each experiment with absolute objectivity, ruled more by curiosity and an insatiable hunger for knowledge than anything else. Many times the creature had taken the form of the alien species in question and manipulated entire societies and empires to the heights of power or brought them crashing down in a blaze of suffering, betrayal, and destruction. Other times it had driven entire worlds mad, then unleashed them on nearby worlds and observed the reactions, behaviors and in some cases adaptations of all involved. Still other times it had transformed beings into monstrosities like itself through eldritch powers that made Nox shudder just to think about, but forced them to retain their original consciousness to drive them insane in as tormentous a way as possible and observe their strength of will. Many of those beings, Nox discovered, still served the creature and were even now among the probing invaders it had sent on ahead through to the other end of the hypergate.

Suddenly, Nox found himself drawn to a specific set of memories. He quickly realized that the creature was drawing him there as if to show him something specific. Memories from his own universe. These recollections were far, far older than the beast's interactions with the Gree. In fact its initial interactions with the Gree had been the result of its efforts to track down the beings it had encountered in these memories. The entities the monster had encountered were glorious, filled with the power of the Force to an extent that made Nox incredibly envious. They were so attuned to the Force that they could move planets, re-organize star systems, and create life with the same ease with which Nox might create a holocron or construct a new ritual.

From the creature's impressions, Nox could detect that the beings were aligned with neither the Light nor Dark Side of the Force, but simply aligned with the Force itself, as if they were manifestations of that great, all-encompassing power that bound the cosmos together. Some exchange of information had occurred, although the beings, sensing the abomination's alignment with the Dark Side of the Force, had refrained from sharing anything more than was acceptable or polite to do so. The entire encounter had not lasted long, but it had left a hunger within the monster to seek out those entities and other beings like them in an attempt to further its connection to Dark Side and expand its knowledge of existence.

Being drawn back to the forefront of the creature's mind, Nox sensed that the creature saw him as progress along this path, discerning something in him that excited it and made its resolve to find the luminous beings even stronger. The creature gladly revealed what it had learned and studied from Nox's own mind: his childhood memories of suffering and powerlessness, his rise to power, his study of and dedication to the Dark Side, and his plans for the future. The creature's mind was flooded with another emotion that took Nox off-guard: approval. The abomination was pleased to have discovered a being it considered to be the perfect bridge between itself and its own kind and the ancients it had encountered so very long ago in Nox's own universe.

Suddenly, Nox felt a great influx of knowledge rush into his brain. Images, sensations, ideas, and emotions flooded his perception in an ecstatic deluge of information. When it was over, he felt the eldritch knowledge festering in the back of his mind, calling on it, he perceived it to be a Force ritual of some kind. An invocation...or an invitation. The only thing Nox could possibly compare it too were certain variations of Dark Side Sorcery involving the summoning of mysterious powers, such as those used by the Tetsu Sorcers of Tund and the Dathomiri Nightsister Covens. An idea of what it could be sprouted in his mind, but he resolved to leave the speculation for later, when he felt the psychic link between them sever.

He found himself back in his body, still floating in front of the unspeakable horror, and he realized he found the monster all the more terrifying now that he knew its intellectual capabilities. The monster began to retreat, seeming to simply shrink as if it were vanishing into the distance. Suddenly Nox was blown back, as if by an impossibly strong wind, and felt nothing for a moment before he was suddenly catapulted from the hypergate at a dangerous speed. He managed to backflip and land on his feet, looking up to see the hypergate beginning to flicker and shrink. After a few seconds, it closed. Vanishing into a singularity that winked out of existence.

For a long moment, Nox just stood there, trying to process what had just happened. He eventually used the com-link to order the ship to come and pick him up, sitting down cross-legged to meditate and pour over all the information he had just absorbed from the encounter, forever engraving it into his mind. When the ship arrived, it rotated and landed in front of Nox, the ramp extending to welcome him aboard. With a final look at the now empty hypergate, Nox climbed aboard, and the _Midnight Shadow_ turned and accelerated into the cloudy gray sky.

The banquet hall of the People's Palace was bustling with members of the wealthy world's political class. Colorful costumes and finery clothed the ball's participants, and the buzz of many quiet conversations all happening at once was underlain by the soft music being played by the live band. There was the clinking of glasses as small, personal toasts were exchanged and titters of laughter would arise here and there, like invisible butterflies taking wing without warning.

There was a sudden, sustained dip in the ambient noise when the great doors swung open to allow Ashara to enter. Many a gaze, both male and female, turned to take in the sight. A shoulderless brilliant sapphire gown of luxuriant shimmersilk outlined her shapely form in a way that somehow managed to be alluring while being precisely as modest as was appropriate. On her wrists were bracelets of gold set with sapphires and lapis lazuli with earrings to match. Draped with care and style upon her montrals were various kinds of jewelry made of the same quality gold as the jewelry that adorned her wrists, likewise studded with brilliant jewels of every shade of blue that brought out her piercing azure eyes. The true treasure though, was around her neck. An intricate and ornate necklace made of twenty four karat gold with jewels of every shade of blue imaginable.

She could feel all the gazes on her as she glided towards the Prime Minister. Male gazes filled with awe and desire, and female gazes filled with jealousy and envy. It pleased her well.

"May I say, Darth Skade, that you look positively angelic tonight." The Prime Minister said with a decorum and composure that most of his male colleagues seemed to be lacking at the moment.

"Thank you Prime Minister." Ashara said softly, smiling with both her mouth and her eyes. Through the Force she could feel nearly every male in the vicinity catch his breath, most unwittingly, and she couldn't help but smile even bigger.

"As far as making a convincing case goes, Darth Skade, you are off to a very strong start." The Prime Minister said with the hint of a smile touching his aged lips.

"As much as your compliments please me, Prime Minister," Ashara said "I hope it will be my arguments that convince you, rather than my fashion sense."

"Indeed." The Prime Minister chuckled, and he immediately performed a round of introductions, introducing her to his inner circle. The discussion moved into questions, with each of the members of the Prime Minister's cabinet being given multiple chances to ask the lovely young vision in their midst questions about the Empire. She responded with subtle charm and persuasive grace, never once losing her composure. Other members of government took opportunities to casually slip into the conversation, proceeding to ask a few questions or make polite comments before fading out again. Many of the men did this merely to talk to Ashara, or to attempt to stand out by trying to be witty, perceptive, or in some cases sycophantic.

She took it all in stride, graciously accepting compliments, laughing at jokes or wordplay, and commending attempts at being insightful or observant. Even the women, who inserted themselves into the conversation mostly to try and outshine her, didn't shake her good form. Instead of competing with them directly, she paid them strategically placed compliments at the exactly right moment in the conversation with the exact tone of voice that would come off as completely genuine and harmless, while actually embarrassing and calling out the jealous vixens. The end result often turned out to be that the attention would turn back to her, while the woman would fade into the background.

Reveling in the defeat of her rivals and the attention of her quarries, Ashara was nonetheless disappointed with the apparent outcome of the conversation nearly an hour later. While many of the lesser and younger politicians had eagerly lapped up her arguments and points, the older gentlemen, particularly the Prime Minister and his cabinet, were still very much in the gray. Being much more experienced in the game than their younger and less influential counterparts, they were keeping a tight reign over themselves and thus were not so easily charmed.

Several times she had been forced to concede points to avoid losing any charm or apparent grace, which hurt her case somewhat. By the end of things, she felt no closer to her goal than she had been before the ball even started. Somewhat frustrated and tired, she found a way to politely excuse herself and retreated to an open balcony to watch the stars.

"Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful." She turned to see Golys looking straight at her, a soft, beaming smile on his smooth face.

"The view is quite exquisite." Ashara replied as he approached to lean on the handrail beside her.

"I wasn't referring to the stars in the sky." He said, still smiling, "but rather, the ones that seemed to have abandoned their posts to take up residence in those bewitching eyes of yours."

Ashara giggled quietly, "You are quite charming yourself governor, you certainly are your father's son." The young man smiled, although there was a hint of something mournful in his eyes.

"Thank you, Darth Skade. I can only hope I live up to his example."

"It seems to me you are already well along that path." Ashara said in a slightly flirtatious tone. "Although, if you don't mind me asking..." The young governor perked up at the trailing off question.

"Ask away, Darth Skade. I will be more than happy to share what I know."

"I'm simply curious as to where the Prime Minister's wife is. I have yet to meet her."

Golys's face fell, almost imperceptibly, but not enough that Ashara missed it. "I'm afraid my mother is...no longer with us."

"I'm sorry." Ashara said, reaching out and touching his arm gently. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You've done nothing of the sort." Golys said, although the sadness in his tone persisted. "You couldn't have known, she passed on before my father became Prime Minister. Their marriage is not a highly advertised fact."

"Still," Ashara insisted. "I should not have been so careless Golys." She smiled inwardly at the affect on mood and body language using the young man's name had on him. "I can see I've caused you at least some measure of distress, please accept my apology." He turned to take her hand, which was resting on the railing near his arm, before he replied.

"I humbly accept your apology, and I forgive you completely." He said, smiling into her eyes.

Ashara suddenly started as the band began playing an upbeat song, and her eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh I love this song!" She turned to Golys with a mischievous smile in her eyes. "May I have this dance?"

Taken utterly aback, the young man's composure vanished for a moment before his political training brought it back into place. "I would be honored, my lord." He said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the ballroom and onto the dance floor. In moments they had swung into the rhythm and were gliding across the room artfully. Golys was a surprisingly good dancer, easily keeping up and even intuiting several of her moves before she performed them. She couldn't help but smile as she threw herself gracefully into the music, Golys making every effort to support and enable her enthusiasm. When the song finished, they moved directly into the next one, and before either of them had noticed, a few hours had passed. The ball was winding down and they were one of the few couples still on the dance floor as the band played a slow and ponderous song that saw them dancing much closer to each other than either of them had expected to get as they gently swayed to the unhurried, leisurely tune.

"That was quite enjoyable." Ashara said softly so only he could hear.

"I quite agree." Golys said with remarkable calm despite how hard and fast his heart was pounding. "You are full of surprises my lord."

"Please, call me Skade." Ashara said.

"With pleasure, Skade." He said with a smile in his voice.

"It's rather a shame it was over so quickly." Ashara sighed in resignation. She couldn't believe she'd spent so much time dancing, she hadn't done something like that in a long time. She'd also never had so much fun in a long time either.

"The night doesn't have to end just yet." Golys said roguishly, and Ashara pulled away to look at him askance, a half smile playing across her lips.

"What do you mean, governor?"

"You haven't had a tour of the palace yet have you?" He asked.

"No, I was planning on getting one soon enough."

"There's no time like the present." Golys offered. "I'd be more than happy to show you everything."

Ashara smiled as the song came to an end. "Then lead the way, governor."

"And here is the observatorium," Golys said as he lead Ashara into a large room whose ceiling was a domed holoscreen providing an image of the night sky above them. "From here you can view the entire sector." He motioned with his hands, and the ceiling responded by zooming in on one of the nearby systems, then with another motion the view switched to a view of a nebula on the other side of the sector.

"Amazing." Ashara said, "the whole sector?"

"Anything you want to see, you can see from this room." Golys said, smiling at her. Ashara moved her hands, and the view zoomed out once more. She slowly made her way across the sector, stopping at various star systems and space phenomena to ask questions or admire the sights. Eventually she came to a certain system not too far from the Felquarran system. She noticed a heavy concentration of armed starships in the area.

"What's going on here?" She asked curiously. Golys's face fell slightly, taking on a somewhat more serious demeanor.

"That is the Gam'Tuak system." He said solemnly.

"Why do they have so many armed vessels?" Ashara asked, continuing to gently press him for information under the guise of an inquisitive intellect.

"They are a very territorial species, and very loyal to the Republic." Golys said. It was obvious he was trying to hide something from her. "When we left the Republic they became even more hostile than usual." Ashara sidled up to him, putting a sympathetic tone in her voice.

"Golys, I can tell something's bothering you. What is it? You can trust me." Golys looked hesitant, so she pressed him further, putting just the slightest hint of the Force into her words.

"It's alright, Golys, you don't have to be so secretive and closed off with me. If something is bothering you I want to help."

"We're in the middle of a cold war with them." He finally relented. "It's been going on for years, and until recently the only thing preventing them from attacking was the threat of Republic intervention. When we decided to secede from the Republic, they immediately began accumulating ships and weaponry, concentrating it around their system."

"Well," Ashara said smiling, "just another reason for Felquarra to join the Empire. With the Empire backing you they wouldn't dare attack."

"They don't dare attack anyway." Golys said with some pride in his voice. "Our system's defense network is one of the most sophisticated and efficient in the known galaxy. They dare not strike at us until they've figured out a way to neutralize it, and with our brightest minds constantly working to make it more advanced and effective, they don't have a hope of doing that." Ashara raised her eyebrows.

"A system defense network? Of what sort?"

"It combines almost every conceivable weapons technology available to turn our system into a death trap for any invading force." The pride in the young governor's voice was apparent now. "No army can set foot in our territory without our permission."

"So that's why I had to receive clearance codes before entering the system." Ashara said, thinking out loud.

"Yes," Golys confirmed. "Without those codes you would have been blown to pieces."

"And what if a mistake had been made?" Ashara asked, once more shrouding her interrogation in idle curiosity. "What if you needed to deactivate the whole system in order to save me?" She moved even closer to Golys, making sure he could feel every inch of her body pressing up against him.

"Then I would enter the master codes and shut down the entire system," Golys said, looking her in the eyes. "and you would be safe again."

"My hero." Ashara whispered. They both felt it at the same time, and in unified motion, they moved in towards each other. Their lips met in sweet passion, and Ashara felt her body beginning to stir itself as waves of arousal began to sweep over her. They savored the experience before she began to pull away, and Golys followed her lead, smiling at her with the eyes of a lovestruck puppy.

"Most exquisite, my lord." He said softly.

"Not entirely unpleasant." She smiled back suggestively.

"Shall I escort you to your room, my lord?" He asked in a gentlemanly manner.

Ashara smiled. "I would appreciate your company, governor."

Later that night, Ashara moved swiftly and quietly through the halls of the People's Palace, moving from shadow to shadow and avoiding the security scanners and cameras with a skill and finesse that showed she had been well-trained. She was once more dressed in her black, cortosis fiber, armored jumpsuit and was sneaking through the grand halls in search of the primary interface for the system's defense network. After Golys had escorted her to her room and they'd said goodbye, she had sliced into the Palace's own network, copying and memorizing it's blueprints. She'd seen no indication of where the primary interface might be, but she had a few good ideas.

She reached an intersection and sensed a pair of guards on duty at a nearby door. Increasing her concentration, she cloaked herself in the Force and moved across the opening in full view of the guards, the security scanners, and the cameras, yet nothing happened. She reached the other side and was only a meter or so down that hallway when he cloak lapsed and she once more became visible. Unlike her master, who had a natural talent for cloaking himself, Ashara's abilities lay more in the martial direction. Even so, with his training she had been able to develop a sort of Force camouflage which allowed her vanish from sight and the Force perception of others for a brief time. And whereas Nox could summon his powers of stealth on demand, she was limited to only being able to call upon them after a short period of recovery.

Continuing down the hall, she was nearly discovered when a pair of patrolling guards came around the corner up ahead of her. In a split second she leaped upward, clinging to the ceiling like a spider as the oblivious guards, engaged in an intense conversation, passed below her. Once they had rounded another corner farther down the hall, Ashara dropped to the ground and moved as quickly and stealthily as she could to the next intersection, breathing a sigh of relief when she finally turned into the other hall.

After a half hour of infiltration, she finally reached the lower levels where she believed the primary interface to be. After another few minutes of searching and avoiding patrols, she discovered two guards around a corner, seemingly guarding something. After taking a cloaked peek around a corner, she saw the two guards she had sensed were guarding a thick durasteel door with a keypad and scanners for fingerprints, retinal scans, and voice code. A complex system no doubt, but still something she could slice, thanks to the technology being old Republic security tech which she had been trained on. She used the Force to dazzle the watchful camera, freezing the image of the guarded and locked door. The only thing to do now was take care of the guards.

The minute they saw her, they would be alert, their disciplined minds closed and focused, impossible to control. But she was not skilled at the art of mind control, and especially not without eye contact, and even less so with multiple people. She could try to lure one of them away, then take him over and use him, but that would still arouse suspicion and leave memories she couldn't erase. There was no other way, she would have to try this the hard way.

Stilling herself, she began to draw on the Force, building her concentration over a period of minutes. When she felt ready, she reached out with the Force, attempting to take over one guard's mind first. When that was successful, she attempted to split her concentration and take over his comrade's mind as well while still maintaining control over her original victim. Unfortunately, every time she tried this her grip on the other guard's mind slipped, and she found herself unable to hold onto both minds simultaneously. After repeated attempts, she grew frustrated. And after even more failed attempts, she became angry.

"You ok?" She heard one guard ask the other.

"Yeah," the other one replied. "Just feelin' a bit sleepy."

Ashara's rage at her own powerlessness became a fire that burned in her core, spreading throughout her body like wildfire. She felt the power rising up within her, and she unleashed it as she reached out once more to seize her victim's minds. With triumph, she felt her mental grip clamp down on the two men's thoughts, and grinning in vindictive euphoria, she put them to sleep. The sounds of the guards falling back against the wall pleased her to no end, and she moved hurriedly to the doorway, spending the next few minutes slicing into the security locks. She had to be quick about this, the next patrol would be coming around in eight minutes or so.

Opening the heavy door, she slipped inside to see exactly what she was looking for: the Felquarran Defense Network's primary interface. Approaching the console, she was able to slice in and immediately began searching for the master codes. She found them, but was blocked from accessing the file by a demand for a password. She attempted to slice in, but soon found that the security on this particular file was far more advanced than all of the previous electronic security she had encountered.

Stepping back from the console, she began to rack her brain for an answer, struggling to not let panic sink in. What kind of password would be placed on the master codes? Looking back through her memories, she remembered the conversation with Golys about his departed mother, then she remembered his response to her hypothetical situation that he would input to master codes in order to save her. That might mean he knows the master codes, she thought, which would mean either he or his father made the password for this file, which means...her fingers began to fly across the console as she used it to access to holonet. After some quick digging she found what she was looking for: a marriage certificate for the Prime Minister and his wife Lylis.

She quickly entered "Lylis" into the password field, but a notice popped up: "Access Denied". Still resisting the urge to panic, a puzzled frown spread across Ashara's face, then she flipped back to the certificate and looked at the date. On her second try she entered Lylis's name with the wedding date after her name, "Access Denied". She tried again, with the date coming before the woman's name, "Access Denied". Wanting to slam her hands down on the console, she resisted the urge and reached out to the Force for answers. An idea came to her surprisingly quickly, and she typed in the woman's name with each letter being separated by one number from the date, and the whole word being capped by numbers on either end, "Access Granted".

Releasing a silent cheer, Ashara hastily copied the master codes onto her datapad and logged out of the console. Closing the door behind her, she rounded the corner, roused the guards from their induced slumber, and returned the camera to working order. She vanished just as the patrol rounded the corner, slipping past him and melding with the shadows.

Nox kneeled on a rock outcropping overlooking a seemingly forgotten section of the Kaas jungle that was riddled with winding trails long abandoned. The Dark Side emanated from Nox, surrounding him with a black aura. His eyes glowed purple, even through the lenses that were supposed to obscure them. The power in him was palpable, and any creature who came within twenty meters of him suffered the consequences without Nox having to so much as lift a finger. As such the predators of the Kaas ecosystem gave him a wide berth. Only several Gundarks and a few lethargic Sleens, who were now drinking from a nearby spring, remained in the area.

As he savored the taste of the Dark Side coursing through his body like blood through veins, Nox allowed himself to be caught up in the aura of the planet. Dromund Kaas boasted an incredibly strong Dark Side aura, due to being the capital world of the Sith Empire for more than seven hundred years. The near-constant presence of the most powerful Sith Lords coupled with the constant ebb and flow of many, many weaker Sith combined with the planet's natural dark aura to create an atmosphere of immense power. The Dark Side covered everything on this world, each beast and plant a note in the symphony that was the heartbeat of the world.

Nox enjoyed listening to that symphony, feeling it in every molecule of his body. It was in moments like these that he received his most insightful revelations, his most inspired ideas. Dwelling in the darkness that surrounded him, he turned his thoughts toward the objects of his mediation: The Dread Masters.

Thanks to his interactions with them, they now believed him to be nothing but a nuisance, an insect to be squashed at will. That was good, that was exactly how Nox wanted to be perceived. They were underestimating him, and would therefore not see him for the threat to their power and continued existence that he truly was. They had fallen into the same trap as many of Nox's previous rivals had. By underestimating him they would expose their flank, giving Nox even more of an advantage than he already had.

But it still was not enough. Even with all the power he had acquired through his Children, even with the advantage he had gained by convincing the masters of his harmlessness, he knew that he still didn't have the power to break them, not yet. The Dread Masters were as old as the Empire itself, and had spent their centuries in seclusion, learning about and studying the Dark Side unhindered by the concerns of the mortal realm, as Nox and his compatriots on the Dark Council were. They had been free to experiment with whatever ideas and devices they wished, free to learn together and grow strong. They had been gathering their power largely unchecked for seven centuries, there was no way Nox could defeat them yet, even with the immense power at his command.

Then a thought came to his remembrance. Victory was not merely a case of overpowering ones opponent. Defeating an enemy could be accomplished by skill and cunning as much as by raw power. Still, his lack of power did present something of a problem, even if he intended to destroy the Masters through wit and deception, being unable to at least hold his own in direct combat against one or several of them was an issue. His Children would need to increase their efforts to bring more Forceful beings into the fold, and he would need to focus more on his studies of the Dark Side and the Dread Masters in particular.

He already had learned much about them in his past encounters. The events on Denova were an example of their ability to manipulate entire armies into executing their will, and the follow-up events on Asation was a clear demonstration of both their power, knowledge, and finesse in the arts of Sith Alchemy, Ritualism, and Sorcery.

Briefly, Nox's mind flickered back to the ritual he had received from the monstrous terror in the hypergate. After studying the ritual further he had determined it to be a method of creating a small dimensional breach. Careful experimentation had revealed that the breach it created bridged Nox's reality and the universe from which the horror had originated. So far Nox had only summoned small abominations, creatures of simplistic intellect and with little real power. But the implications of success were intoxicating to him. If he could master the ritual further and empower it, he might one day be able to summon abominations beyond his enemies comprehension, some day in the far future he might even have that creature and its allies at his beck and call.

But Nox was no fool. He was not so short-sighted as to tamper with powers beyond his ability to control, he knew full well what kind of fate was awarded to beings who succumbed to such avarice. So for now he would continue to experiment and study, growing his knowledge and thereby increasing his power. In any case, such power might not help him against the Dread Masters, not directly at least. The fact that the Masters had known, or seemed to have known, what manner of creature might emerge from the Grand Hypergate was indicative of their experience with such matters. Perhaps they had also had some interactions with the inhabitants of the strange dimension, and if that was true they likely knew far more about the subject than Nox currently did. So for the most part he would restrain utilizing his knowledge directly and instead use it to combat whatever abominations the Masters could throw at him.

Returning his mind back to its original track, Nox once more contemplated how he could go about destroying the Dread Masters. Given their power it was unlikely they would simply succumb to death upon the destruction of their physical bodies. Even if Nox were to disintegrate their carnal vessels completely, down to the last atom, Nox doubted that they would vanish into the void, they had lived too long and were far too powerful for it to be that easy. But surely, he thought to himself, there is a way for me to be rid of them without all that power and knowledge going to waste. Seven hundred years of knowledge, learning, and experience is far too much to simply allow it to disappear.

Once more, an idea sprang into his consciousness. Of course! As always, the simplest solution proved to be the best. The Dread Masters would, in all likelihood, survive any attempt at destroying their physical bodies. They were Sith after all, and Nox knew full well how much Sith feared death. If it was within their power, and it likely was, they would avoid death at all costs. But their fear of death only made the whole affair easier for Nox. Provided their method for cheating death was the one he thought it was there was a very simple and very profitable solution to the problem of ending the Dread Master's existence without sacrificing their knowledge and power to the void along with their spirits.

Still, he would need to work, and work tirelessly. The time between now and the final confrontation was going to filled with sleepless nights and days spent in seclusion and study. He wasn't fully prepared to face the Dread Masters yet, but they seemed to be accelerating their own schedule, and time waits for no man.

As Nox began the long walk back to Kaas City, he hummed an Imperial marching tune in perfect time with the pulsing of the dark energies that surrounded him.

Jay-Li leaned over the holoterminal in the Jedi Council chambers, hanging on the every word of the Weequay Jedi Master in command of the fleet Jay had dispatched to the newly discovered base of the Dread Masters on Oricon. Jay wore a hooded thermoweave robe of white with gold trim and designs, a garment more suited to his position as Jedi Grandmaster. On his hands he wore golden gloves with white trim, made of the same thermoweave material as his robes. Around his waist sat a dark gray metallic belt with glowing blue lights on and around the rectangular cinch.

He had grown a beard in the past few months, and the dark, neatly trimmed mass of blonde hair covered his lower face with near-perfect symmetry to the ornate gold and white mask that hid his eyes, cheeks, forehead, and the bridge of his nose. The twin visors that covered his eyes were one-way lenses that made him seem almost like a droid if you forgot everything else about him. Only his lightsaber was the same as it had been before, except that he had replaced the green crystal with a blue one.

"We're approaching the Oricon system." The commander said, a note of tension creeping into his voice. "Preparing to drop out of hyperspace." After a few seconds of silence, Jay heard the hyperdrive of the ship deactivate, and the commander and Jay both listened as bridge officers reported that the rest of the fleet was checking in.

"We're all here." The commander said. "Let's move in on Oricon, battle stations people!" Alarms sounded and Jay was struck with a sudden, powerful premonition of doom and danger.

"Commander! Hold position!" He ordered.

But the commander was no longer listening. He was staring straight ahead in wide-eyed, slack-jawed horror at something in front of him. Jay could hear the cries of fear from various bridge crew members, and was just about to attempt to reach out through the Force to try and help the commander when the signal cut out and static replaced the image of the commander.

Returning to his full height with a gesture of frustration, Jay turned his head away from the empty holoterminal briefly before reaching out to shut it off. Suddenly, the image of Supreme Chancellor Madon appeared in the space, accompanied by Supreme Commander Maxxor.

"Master Kenobi, what just happened?" Maxxor demanded. "I just lost the signals of the entire fleet of ships you commissioned ten hours ago."

"I would like to know what is going on as well." Madon added. "As soon as the Supreme Commander invited me to this call I knew something was wrong." Jay sighed inwardly.

"I'm afraid I just lost contact with the Oricon Task Force." Jay said in reply. "They had just entered orbit over Oricon when they began experiencing...hallucinations of some sort, and they appear to have been of the particularly unpleasant kind. I was attempting to assist when the signal was lost."

"An entire fleet." Maxxor grumbled. "As if we weren't shorthanded enough after the Empire's recent offensives."

"What does this mean for the Republic?" Madon asked.

"I don't believe the entire fleet has been lost." Jay interjected. "If our intel on Oricon's orbital defenses was correct, then I believe there might actually be some survivors on the surface."

"But Master Kenobi, you saw for yourself the kind of power these Dread Masters have. If they can destroy the minds of an entire fleet's worth of hardened Jedi and soldiers, how do you expect to be successful with a second attempt? I'm afraid the Senate cannot authorize a second attempt after such a complete failure."

"I wouldn't authorize it in any case." Maxxor added. "I'm not sending more of my men to die needlessly in such a gruesome manner."

"You needn't be concerned gentlemen." Jay said in what he hoped was a calming tone. "I do not intend to take anyone with me. I will go alone."

"Alone?" Madon exclaimed. "Master Kenobi please don't be so rash! The Jedi only just lost their Grandmaster, they don't need to lose another one!"

"Calm yourself, Supreme Chancellor." Jay said, placating him. "I know many potent techniques to ward off such invasion of the mind, whereas it most of the crew aboard those vessels did not. We did not expect the Dread Masters to be so powerful, but I have no doubt that Master Ogan-Dei and the other Jedi were able to protect some of the crew from the mental assault and ensure that some survived the landing after the ships were shot down by Oricon's orbital defenses. I will sneak past the orbital defenses on my personal ship and gather the survivors to either attempt an extraction or, if possible, complete the mission."

"Wasn't the original mission to bombard the moon from orbit?" Maxxor asked. "How do you intend to do that without a fleet?"

"The intent of the mission was to kill the Dread Masters and end their threat forever." Jay responded. "If there are enough survivors and the opportunity presents itself, I will commandeer the task force to attempt to accomplish this goal."

"This still seems very risky." The Supreme Commander said, crossing his arms. "Assuming you are successful, how do you suggest we facilitate a rescue?"

"I will assemble a list of names of Jedi Masters who are knowledgeable in defending themselves and others from this kind of attack. I will contact them before I leave to recall them to Coruscant immediately to prep for the mission. When you receive my all-clear signal, that will be an indication that I have disabled or destroyed Oricon's orbital defenses enough to allow you to evacuate the survivors while the Jedi protect everyone from the Dread Master's influence."

Madon and Maxxor looked at each other briefly before turning back to Jay. "Well," Maxxor said finally. "It seems you've made up your mind about this, and organized a workable plan. It's not like we have any other options except to abandon our people to those monsters."

"I think I can convince the Senate that this is appropriate military action." Madon said reassuringly. "They might not be happy about this whole affair but I think at least they won't seek reparations of some kind."

"That is comforting to know, Supreme Chancellor." Jay said bowing his head in gratitude. "Sometimes it feels like the Senate only gets in the way of doing what needs to be done."

"Believe me, I know that feeling better than anything else Master Jedi." Madon said mournfully. "But without the Senate we have no democracy, and that means we aren't any better than the Empire or these Dread Masters."

"True." Jay conceded.

"In any case," Madon continued. "I will personally sanction this rescue attempt."

"As will I." Maxxor said. "Be careful out there Master Jedi. If any of the accounts of interactions with them are to be believed, these Dread Masters are dangerous. With the Emperor gone, I might even say they're the most dangerous beings in the galaxy right now."

"Your approval and concerns are appreciated." Jay said. "But I encourage you to trust in the Force gentlemen, as I do."

Andronikos deftly piloted the _Midnight Shadow_ through the asteroid field surrounding Darvannis. Not a single one of the larger asteroids so much as brushed the vessel's shields.

"We'll be entering atmo in about five minutes." Andronikos reported to Nox, who was sitting behind him in the captain's chair.

"Excellent," Nox replied. "Make sure you keep us off their scanners, I don't want any delays."

"Roger." The ex-pirate confirmed, and Nox returned his attention to cloaking the ship and its two inhabitants in the Force as they approached the planet. Five minutes later, just as Andronikos had said, they entered the Darvannis atmosphere. Ten minutes later they landed in a hidden canyon a fair distance from Nox's destination. They were just far enough away that there was little risk of patrols stumbling on the vessel, but close enough that Nox wouldn't be forced to trek through large swathes of the Darvannis desert to reach his goal.

Exiting the ship into the dust storm raging outside, Nox activated his com to relay his final orders to Andronikos.

"Make sure that this ship is the last thing anyone who finds it sees."

"Understood. Good hunting." Nox smiled at that.

"Indeed." With an abrupt click, he switched off his com, entering radio silence in preparation for his infiltration of the fortress in which Dread Master Styrak was holed up. Nox knew, despite official Imperial reports, that the Dread Masters were behind the sudden increase in the Hutt Cartel's militancy. The reports of his own spies combined with his forays into the Force to determine the Dread Master's current activities had revealed this to him, and that one of their number had separated himself from the rest and taken a more hands-on approach to their conquest of the galaxy. A decision that would be his doom.

Striding unaffected through the roaring winds and haze of sand, Nox followed his instincts into a cave in the nearby cliffside. Entering, he moved deeper and deeper until it became apparent that the cave was not a natural formation, but had once been part of the tunnel network of a Guruniu, massive worms that prowled the planet's underground millions of years ago, before the introduction of the Krayt dragon into the ecosystem via space travelers had rendered the massive invertebrates extinct.

Who had brought the Krayt dragons to Darvannis and exactly why was unknown, but evidence showed that the immigrant population of giant lizards had been completely wiped out not long after their extinction of the Guruniu by a virus native to the planet that their physiology had no defense against.

As a result, massive networks of underground tunnels, some running several miles deep into the crust, were scattered throughout the barren landscape. This particular tunnel network, Nox had discovered, had several tunnels that nearly intersected with some of the massive geothermal power lines that allowed for the fortress to feed off of the natural energy of the planet's core. Regular bursts of superheated plasma roared up the large metal shafts on their way to power the geothermal cores above, so once Nox found the right spot, he would have to wait for the next flare before attempting to enter the tunnel. There were only twenty minutes between each flare, so if he managed to cut through the rock wall of the tunnels he was in now and the metal walls of the geothermal power line in eight minutes or so, he would have twelve minutes before an unstoppable wall of superheated matter came rushing up the tube to incinerate everything but the heat-proof walls. No pressure.

After roughly a half hour of exploration, Nox began to feel the vibrations of the geothermal flares in the distance. Another half hour brought him to a spot in a tunnel where he could feel the heat emanating from the wall that was right up against the geothermal power line. After a few minutes of patient waiting, he felt the rumble from deep below, and felt the wave of scorching plasma rush past him on the other side of the wall, causing the tunnel to heat up even further. The temperature was already hot enough to make most sentients faint, but Nox easily warded off the heat with the Force and drew his lightsaber, activating it.

He thrust forward, burying the blade in the stone wall, feeling the resistance melt away. The rock was already soft enough from the intense heat that he cut through it easily, and in a few minutes he had removed a circular portion of the wall to reveal the metal surface of the heat-proof, plasma-resistant pipe that guided the plasma to the surface.

This was going to be tough, these materials were literally made to resist the substance of the weapon he was holding, only in much larger quantities and with more intensity. He reached out with the Force, poking and prodding at the metal with metaphysical fingers, searching for any weakness...there! He thrust forward, both hands on the hilt, and grunted in shock when his lightsaber barely broke through. It felt like trying to cut raw Wookie meat with a fingernail. Gripping the handle tightly, he began to drag it towards the edge of the circular hole he had created, and growled with effort when the metal became even more resistant as he left the area of the structural weakness and encountered the full resistance of the alloy. It got to the point where Nox felt like his lightsaber wasn't even moving, and he screamed in exasperation, knowing that precious seconds were ticking away while he fought this hunk of metal. He could work until the next flare came of course, and hope that the structural damage he had inflicted would combine with the flare's heat to further compromise the alloy's resistance. But it was very likely that the heat exposure would either severely weaken or possibly even kill him. The latter was unacceptable, leaving him alone and weak to the point where several flares would gradually incinerate his body, leaving nothing for his spirit to remain bound to, nothing to protect it from the void...but even the former meant he would likely end up being so weak that he couldn't cut open the softened metal and make to the top of the power line in time to avoid getting caught in the next flare, which would incinerate him outright, leading back to problem number one. If he didn't make this cut in time, he was in really, really deep trouble.

His fear strengthened his resolve and brought new strength to his muscles. Roaring in sheer exertion, he managed to drag the blade of his lightsaber to the edge of the circle and begin cutting around it. After several long minutes that left his muscles screaming for mercy and his breath coming in panting, ragged gasps, he used the Force to violently push the circular piece of metal into the stifling abyss beyond. Stepping into the opening, he looked down over the edge, and was struck with an unfamiliar sensation: Vertigo. He had to grip the smoldering edge of the opening with Force-enhanced strength just to keep from tumbling helplessly into the fiery light burning brightly miles and miles below him. Closing his eyes and calling on the Dark Side, he steadied himself and brought his thoughts and sensations back into focus. He gathered his power and leaped into the air. For a moment he hung there, suspended in space for a split second before gravity latched onto him and began to pull him downward to an infernal demise.

Summoning his power, Nox channeled it into kinetic energy and used to send himself rocketing up the chute, propelled by the power of Force flight. He flew as straight as a blaster bolt and just as fast, and the blackness of the tube above him began to draw closer and closer. Suddenly though, it stopped, and at first Nox thought his eyes must be playing tricks on him. Perhaps his focus on using Force flight was lowering his guard against the intense heat allowing it to affect his mind and senses...then with dawning horror he realized what was happening at the same moment he felt the rumbling deep below him.

He looked down to see a burgeoning tsunami of raging plasma racing up the tunnel after him, in all its hellish glory. At first he thought he might outrun it, but as the darkness above him shrank away, as if abandoning him to his doom, he realized there was no hope of that. It was too late. His mind raced with a thousand different possibilities as one, panic-stricken thought repeated itself over and over, drumming itself into his skull.

I'm going to die.

Then an idea blossomed in his mind, spreading its petals of desperate hope across his lobes, and he found himself actually considering it. This is crazy, he thought to himself. Completely crazy, there's no evidence that it will work and no time to consider any evidence even if there was any. I'll probably die trying, but it seems I'm going to die anyway...so what do I have to lose, really? It only took a moment to consider his options, there was no other choice.

Ceasing to channel his Force flight, he redirected his power into forming a shield around himself as he dropped like a stone into the ravenous inferno below.

Nox slowly emerged from the darkness of unconsciousness and gingerly lifted himself up off the floor. He was equal parts surprised and relieved to find he was intact and undamaged, apart from the splitting headache pounding a tattoo into his braincase. He remembered straining to hold the Force barrier while immersed in the plasma jet, using a final burst of kinetic power to launch himself out of the jet as soon as he sensed the jet had left the shaft and was rocketing into the reactor. Such a feat of timing would have confounded any who were not highly attuned to the workings and nuances of the Force, thankfully Nox was not in that group, and thus he had been successful.

Getting slowly to his feet, he took a moment to steady himself on shaky limbs before looking around the power core chamber. It was empty, rightly so, as normal beings would require heat protection gear to even survive in here. The fact that Nox had not been roasted alive while unconscious was a testament to the strength of his connection to the Force, which had protected him without his conscious direction.

Having regained his composure, Nox knelt on the ground and began to go through the rites he had completely memorized by now. He had infiltrated the fortress before using the ritual because he had been concerned that afterwards there would be no way to hide his power from Styrak, which would have made infiltration much more difficult, if not impossible. Now that he was inside the fortress however, that didn't really matter. His proximity to Styrak would make it difficult for the Dread Master to determine the exact location of the source of the immense power, allowing Nox to move about the fortress in stealth. Had he used the ritual outside the fortress, the distance would have allowed Styrak to use Nox's own power like a beacon indicating his general location, allowing the Dread Master to discern where Nox was and likely stop him from entering the stronghold by any means, stealthy or otherwise.

As the connections between him and his children firmed and the channels opened, Nox felt the familiar rush of anticipation. Then the power came, it flowed in like a great tide, pouring into him until he felt like he was full to overflowing. The darkness within him rejoiced, burgeoning and surging with the influx of violent energy. When Nox rose from the floor, he was a vessel of raw, dark power, a violet aura surrounding him as the energies contained within his form energized the very atmosphere around him.

He cast his gaze around the chamber, searching for the exit. Finding it, he quickly sliced the lock and stepped out into passageway, closing the unlocked door behind him. With an arcane motion, he vanished from sight, the only evidence that he had once existed there being the incredibly minute disturbances in the Force that he left behind, like ripples in a pond, and soon enough, they too faded.

With a tremendous boom, the double doors leading to Dread Master Styrak's chambers flew open. Ripped off their hinges, the doors flew past the small army of Dread Guard standing ready between the door and the throne, slamming into the walls on either side of the dais upon which Styrak stood with a massive Kell Dragon, before falling to the ground in like manner.

" _The warlords defeated, their armies in tatters. You think you've won._ " Styrak said, his voice resonating through the chamber, each syllable laced with the power of the Dark Side to intimidate and inspire terror.

"I don't _think_ I've won." Nox said, his own voice brimming with power as he walked into the chamber, lightsaber bared. "I have _already_ won!"

 _These riffraff were brought together for a purpose-our purpose._ " Styrak declared." _They are but clay, and we the sculptors. They will serve even in defeat._ " He asserted, finishing his say. Speaking to the army of Dread Guard before him he bellowed: " _Attack the intruder! Bring me his head!_ " As one the mob of lightsaber-wielding guards charged forward to obey his command, their weapons raised and ready to cut him down. Nox responded by leaping into the center of the mob, building Force power during the leap, and unleashing it upon impact, creating a Force shockwave that lifted the guards off their feet and sent them flying backward.

Summoning the Dark Side, Nox unleashed a massive Force storm in the chamber, raining lightning bolts down on his helpless enemies as they writhed and screamed in agony. When Nox ceased the channel, only four of them remained. Obviously the strongest of the rabble, two of the four had taken up postures of focus and mediation while the other two, their power amplified by their comrades, charged at him.

" _Your power...it has grown since we last met, far more than we expected._ " Styrak mused. " _Perhaps it would be better to have you serve us. Do not fight. Do not resist. Give yourself over now, or be destroyed._ "

Laughing maliciously at the hopeless naiveté of his respective foes, Nox took to the battle, unleashing an unstoppable barrage of withering dark energy, lightning bursts, and lightsaber attacks on the first Dread Guard to reach him. Driven back by the assault, the man tried desperately to defend himself while his companion attempted to attack Nox's flank. Nox easily deflected the pathetic assaults with the Force while he focused on his primary target.

Feeling the darkness building, Nox executed his enemy with overhead spinning slash, then whirled on his other opponent. Suddenly cowed, the man tried to erect a Force barrier strong enough to withstand the coming attack, but failed miserably. The salvo of depredating volts that slammed into him broke through his shield as if it wasn't even there and ravaged his body, leaving him convulsing and spasming. Nox felt the darkness enshroud him, wrapping him in its terrible embrace, making him invulnerable, and he laughed in malevolent ecstasy.

Already the two remaining guards, foolish as they were, had ceased their feeble attempts at battle mediation and were charging forward, believing Nox to be vulnerable while channeling his attack. They found out how wrong they were when one of them tried to slice Nox in two at the waist, only for his lightsaber to bounce off the barrier of Nox's Force armor. The second attack, an attempt at decapitation, failed just as miserably, rebounding off of the shadowy carapace as it were a stick hitting a rock.

With a final blast, Nox finished the channel and charred the dying man to a crisp, whirling on his attackers with a visible aura of darkness surrounding him. Beginning to spin his lightsaber, he moved in on them as they slowly began to back away, their fear blossoming into full-blown terror as they perceived their demise approaching. Then, with sudden ferocity, Nox launched himself at them, his spinning blade never losing momentum as it spun and cycled around his body in a deadly tornado of violet plasma. In seconds the two men were nothing more than a series of charred pieces and body parts lying on the floor.

" _You choose destruction._ " Styrak said with a glimmer of disappointment in his voice. " _So be it._ "

The Kell Dragon leapt from its place beside Styrak and charged Nox. Dodging the massive beast's snapping jaws, Nox harried its flank with a series of Force lightning attacks. Whirling on him, the beast tried to seize him in its jaws once again, but he was too fast for it. The dragon spit at him, its acidic saliva creating a steaming, foul-smelling spot in the sand which Nox easily avoided. Frustrated, the beast curled up into a ball and rotated on its side, sending the detachable spines on its back flying outward in all directions. Nox stopped moving to shield himself from the attack, the arms-length spines bouncing off his erected Force barrier. Finally ceasing the attack only to discover that its prey was still alive, the monster advanced on him, attacking with its massive claws and deadly jaws.

Nox easily evaded the dragon's clumsy attacks, his dark Force armor protecting him against glancing blows and stray projectiles of spittle as he attacked the monster with the Force and occasionally his lightsaber. When the dragon began to weaken, Nox heard Styrak's voice boom from the dais once more.

" _Obey me, beast. Fight on!_ " he commanded. In response the dragon's attacks grew more and more ferocious and desperate, with no noticeable increase in its success battling Nox. When the monster finally collapsed onto its side, dead, Styrak's voice came again, full of anger and laced with a hint of sorrow.

" _A beautiful creature. It will be avenged!_ "

A Force storm erupted throughout the chamber, covering the entire area in lightning. Nox readied himself for the battle ahead, the Force racing through his veins, his Force armor shielding him completely from the storm. Styrak drew a single-bladed purple lightsaber and leaped into the air, the blade raised high to strike. He came down on Nox with Force-amplified might, and Nox had to summon a considerable portion of his own amplified strength in the Force to block the attack.

Styrak laid into him with a series of vicious Force-enhanced lightsaber sequences from Juyo, all of which Nox successfully defended against, but not without effort. Their blades moved like phantoms, seeming to stretch as they struggled to keep up with their wielder's demands. Nox maintained his tight, Soresu-inspired defensive stance, mixing his momentum-preserving lightsaber movements with Force lightning attacks and entropic bursts of dark energy. Styrak, realizing the lightsaber battle was only serving to feed Nox's Force abilities, suddenly vanished from sight, a massive apparition of him appearing in the center of the chamber.

" _Now you'll see real power._ " Styrak bellowed, his disembodied voice echoing throughout the chamber. Four smaller apparitions also appeared on the edges of the chamber, glowing with power as they channeled energy into the larger specter, which was growing bigger by the moment. Focusing his power, Nox charged and unleashed it in a thunderous blast of energy that slammed into the shade, causing it to waver and become somewhat unstable. He followed it up immediately with a chain of lightning that struck the apparition and then launched itself from its original target to the other apparitions in the far corners of the battlefield.

The massive burst of energy diffused all the phantoms, and Styrak appeared in the flesh once more, unleashing a telekinetic attack that constricted Nox, attempting to lift him into the air and crush him while simultaneously electrocuting him by charging the atmosphere around him with electricity.

" _Mere smoke._ " Styrak declared. " _Now taste fire!_ "

Nox channeled a significant amount of his power into resisting the attack, but such was its intensity it took all his concentration just to fight back. He and Styrak stood there, immobile, as each tested the other's will. The stand-off seemed to go on for whole minutes, until Styrak suddenly relinquished his grip and attacked with his lightsaber, hoping to catch Nox off guard.

" _You will fall._ " He stated with finality as he renewed his ferocious assault on the stalwart Nox. During the standoff Nox's dark Force armor had faded, making Styrak's Force-enhanced saber blows even more dangerous. But as he put up a solid wall of defense and eroded his opponent's own defenses with the power of the Dark Side, Nox began to feel the darkness rising in him once again. He felt it begin to consume him, claiming him as its vessel even as he beckoned it to his aid.

When the darkness reached its zenith he unleashed it in the familiar form of ravaging bolts of energy that slammed into his foe. With each bolt that struck Nox felt the dark wrapping itself around him again, shielding him and encasing him within an impenetrable cocoon of telekinetic armor as Styrak fought to defend himself from the blasts.

"You think you can defeat me?" He roared a challenge to Styrak. "I am the Dark Side incarnate!"

Styrak's only response was to briefly channel then unleash a thunderous wave of power that struck Nox like a wave striking a rock. The energy dispersed around him with no visible effect whatsoever. Both combatants knew the attack had affected Nox, but only in regards to his Force defenses and not nearly as much as it should have, thanks to the dark power protecting him.

" _You are nothing._ " Styrak hissed with contempt.

And suddenly, Nox found himself somewhere else entirely. He was in a small room with no apparent entrances or exits of any kind. And standing on a raised portion of the room, lightsabers drawn, was Ashara. Nox froze. Ashara? What was she doing here, how... His thoughts broke off as she attacked him, her twin sabers moving with deadly grace and speed. Nox tried to defend himself, but she seemed to know all the weaknesses in his technique, and his limbs moved sluggishly, as if through mud. Nox could feel the temptation to give into blind anger growing, how dare she attack him! After all he had done for her! After the moments they had shared!

" _Are you ready to obey?_ " Styrak's voice taunted him, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Suddenly, realizing that this was impossible, Nox concluded that Styrak must have launched some sort of mental attack on him, this was just a nightmare. No doubt it was taking all of his opponent's strength and concentration just to hold him here, otherwise Styrak would have undoubtedly cut him down by now. But I can fix that. Nox thought to himself with a smile.

Stretching out a hand, Nox bellowed a single word at the vision before him, putting all of his mental focus into that one utterance. "Stop!" To his surprise, the fake Ashara actually froze in place, and Nox turned his thoughts in an entirely other direction, focusing them on the fake Ashara. Slowly, the mental construct sheathed her lightsabers, hooking them onto her belt as she approached him. His helm suddenly vanishing with a thought, Nox extended his arms, embracing the vision as their lips met in fiery passion.

With a start, Nox found himself back in the throne room on Darvannis, a shocked-looking Styrak standing not far away, his body just relaxing from the summoning posture he had adopted. Nox laughed.

"You cannot defeat me with my own thoughts." He shouted, unleashing a stream of Force lightning at his foe. Styrak vanished and the hungry volt passed through thin air to slam into the steps of the dais with an explosion.

" _You cannot fight forever..._ " Styrak's bodiless voice responded, and Nox thought he detected the first sliver of doubt in the Dread Master's tone. Suddenly four specters of Styrak appeared at the four sides of the room and began to channel Force lightning, their individual streams converging on Nox, wrapping him in a voltaic embrace.

Nox's dark Force armor protected him from the worst effects, but even so he knew he couldn't take this forever. Gathering his power he summoned another Force storm like the one he had used to incinerate the Dread Guard.

" _Gaaagghh!_ " Styrak's scream of rage and shock was music to Nox's ears. Caught in the storm, the Dread Master's channeling of the illusions had been interrupted, and the phantoms vanished. Charging forward, lightsaber at the ready, Styrak unleashed a war cry as he assaulted Nox with renewed vigor brought on by his rage.

Nox actually had difficulty defending himself, and a few of Styrak's force-enhanced lightsaber blows actually landed, weakening his Force armor and forcing him to allocate more power to restoring the strength of his defenses. Nox could sense Styrak's fear growing, but the Dread Master was harnessing it to increase his power, rather than letting it consume him.

Suddenly Nox felt Styrak attempt a powerful Force push, and he put up a solid wall of resistance. Instantly however he felt an explosion of pain erupt in his mind, and with his guard momentarily lowered, he was hurled across the chamber to slam against the wall. He dropped to the ground and was just steadying himself when a wave of power slammed into him. Fortunately he had regained some of his composure and his dark Force armor was still protecting him, but even so the attack knocked him off balance again, while Styrak channeled a thick stream of Force lightning at him. Nox nearly buckled under the metaphysical weight of the combination attack, and Styrak laughed.

" _Even the Force obeys the call._ " He said, chastising Nox.

Suddenly possessed of a deep rage, Nox summoned the Dark Side to his aid and a Force barrier sprung to life around him, shielding him from the ravages of the Dread Master's power. Ceasing his channel, Styrak charged, ready to engage his foe in melee combat and beat down the barrier with raw power.

Allowing his Force barrier to collapse into reinforcing his Force armor, Nox charged as well, his lightsaber at the ready. The two met, and waves of power emanated from the point where their blades impacted each other, as the Force power each had placed behind their strikes clashed. They moved with superhuman speed and grace, each movement flowing into the other. Styrak, now mixing forms, combined the savagery of Juyo with the domineering style of Djem So. Nox stuck to his tried and true Niman variant, now in full defensive mode relying solely on Force attacks to whittle away at his opponent's defenses. Despite Styrak reinforcing his Force defenses, Nox's attacks were still too potent, and the mask of determination he had erected was beginning to slip, revealing the desperation and fear beneath.

" _Brothers and sisters,_ " he pleaded, the desperation apparent in his voice." _grant me power!_ "

Nox felt a surge of Dark Side energy burgeoning up in his enemy, and he prepared himself for the final assault.

" _This broke the beast._ " Styrak said, his fear becoming hatred." _It will break you._ " Suddenly, the nearby corpse of the massive Kell dragon began to move, and to Nox's surprise and dread, rose to its feet. The beast's eyes were hollow, but its movements were every bit as quick as they had been before. Styrak suddenly grew to immense size as he channeled the power his comrades had granted him.

" _Submit or die!_ " He screamed, as waves of dark power began to emanate from both him and the Kell Dragon, which was closing in on Nox. With his enemy's power utterly devastating his Force defenses, Nox decided it was time for the final push. Gathering a large portion of his remaining might, he focused it into a single Force attack and unleashed it on the reanimated beast. The dragon howled as the Dark Side began to consume its body, and Nox pushed harder as Styrak's attack intensified in response. The creature's flesh began to decay, its scales rotting and its skin succumbing to entropy. As the monster dissolved, it unleashed one final roar before its tongue wasted away in its mouth and its vocal chords broke down. The rotting carcass of the beast collapsed in on itself, leaving a broken husk.

Styrak, now easily as large as the beast had been, hurled his now massive lightsaber, which was bigger than Nox, at the Dark Lord. Leaping over it, Nox charged his foe, determined not to lose in the final moments of the battle. Moving all of the preternatural speed he could muster, he managed to stay one step ahead of his foe as the Dread Master sought to use his sheer size to attain a fatal advantage, bringing his blade crashing down on Nox, or swinging it in wide, sweeping arcs. Occasionally when Nox retreated he tossed the blade at him, turning it into a plasma saw that threatened to cut Nox in two.

Nox barely managed to stay ahead of Styrak, leaping and dodging like a hyperactive particle. He managed to land powerful Force attacks on the Dread Master's dwindling defenses, and even succeeded in landing a few saber blows, although these were mostly attacks on the man's massive arms and chest while evading the attempts to brush him off.

And then, it came, the moment of weakness. For just an instant, Styrak's Force defenses vanished. It was only for an instant, but that was enough. Receiving the precognitive vision of the event before it happened, Nox began building his power seconds before it occurred. When the Dread Master's defenses dropped, he unleashed it in a stream of violet-tinged Force lightning that struck the giant in the chest and spread throughout his massive body. Roaring in pain, rage, and despair as his body failed him the Dread Master convulsed, his lightsaber dropping from his grasp, shrinking so that it was normal-sized by the time it hit the sand.

When Nox sensed the last vestiges of Styrak's life force fade to a glimmer, he ceased his attack, allowing the still colossal form of the Dread Master to fall over into the sand.

" _One lost...five remain. It will be enough._ " Styrak croaked as his last glimmer of life winked out. Suddenly, Nox felt a great disturbance in the Force, and looking around saw gigantic apparitions of the remaining five Dread Masters standing around the chamber. They all stared, seemingly in shock, at the prone body of their former comrade lying in the sand in the center of the room. It seemed to Nox as if they were in a daze. Then Nox felt a second disturbance, and he sensed Styrak's spirit leaving his body. his attention now fully on the fallen Sith, Nox waited with baited breath, constantly monitoring the situation through the Force. His hypothesis was about to be proven right or wrong in the next few seconds.

He sensed the void drawing closer, and for a moment he thought Styrak would be swallowed by it, as all Sith were upon death. But that never happened. Instead, Styrak's spirit simply vanished into the Dark Side, like a sea-dwelling creature submerging itself in the ocean. Finding no spirit to consume, the void seemed to shrink back, retreating into the place beyond reality where it resided, and all at once Nox felt the presence of Styrak and the remaining Dread Masters disappear.

Approaching the body, Nox knelt down on one knee and examined the golden helm, almost as large as his entire torso, that covered the cadaver's head. It was grooved and the grooves formed a certain pattern, while the crests that sprouted from it seemed to make the piece of armor almost crown-like. Nox could feel the Dark Side in the item, and he knew that it had been the subject of many rituals over the centuries aimed at enhancing it to increase its wearer's power. For a moment he considered taking it with him, but realized immediately that it would be impossible to remove it from the fortress stealthily, and an Imperial invasion force was no doubt already breaching the stronghold in an attempt to stem the Cartel's growing army of mercenaries, unaware of the true cause of the Hutt's militancy.

Standing to his feet, Nox turned to go. His theory about the Dread Masters had been proven correct, and that meant he was on the right track with his current plan for their destruction. But there was still much work to do, and with the Dread Masters now fully aware of the threat he presented, time was short. But he would succeed regardless, his will would triumph. In the end, all would bow to him.

Jedi Master Tyke Fisto stood as still as stone on the bridge of the _Star of Alkidus_ , the flagship of the Damerok system's Republic defense fleet. He was focusing on the Force, feeling its currents move around him like intangible winds. Only these currents bore a strong scent from the near future, the stench of hatred and violence. An attack was coming, the Sith were coming, he could sense it. Centering himself, he began to commune more deeply with the Force, surrendering his emotions and mundane concerns in exchange for the eternal solace of the Force.

The calming energy of the Light swept through him, removing all doubts, fears, and apprehension. He felt deep peace, and he knew he was prepared for the battle to come.

"Captain." He said to the man standing two feet away from him. "The Empire is going to attack sometime in the next ten minutes. Prepare the fleet."

Registering some surprise, the captain nonetheless obeyed without question. He had worked with enough Jedi to realize it was usually foolish to doubt their predictions, even dangerous. The fleet began to take up defensive formation, and just as the last few ships were moving into place, an Imperial fleet emerged from hyperspace just inside of scanner range.

"Telemetrics coming in sir." An ensign reported to the captain. "The fleet is not a recognized Imperial battle group. The only recognized vessels are the _Siege_ and the _Starblade_. No updated information on either."

"A black ops fleet?" The captain mused.

"Unlikely." Master Fisto replied. "I can sense the Dark Side emanating from the _Starblade_. I believe we may be dealing with a Sith."

"What should we do sir?" The captain asked.

"Engage them when they enter weapons range. I don't believe they will be at all interested in negotiation. Prepare a boarding team as well. I intend to lead a vanguard onto the _Starblade_ once they're within shuttle range."

"Right away sir." The captain said, turning to begin barking orders at the bridge crew and over the com to the rest of the fleet. Fisto turned and left the bridge, Damerok would not fall, he resolved. Not if Tyke Fisto has anything to say about it.

"Enemy is firing." The ensign monitoring the _Starblade's_ defense console said. "Shields are holding steady."

"Turbolasers engaged." The artillery ensign chimed in. "Fighters launched, combating enemy fighters."

"We will be within shuttle range in a few minutes, my lord." The communications officer advised. "Would you like to dispatch boarding parties?"

"No." Raze said with eerie calm. He could sense him, the aura of peace and tranquility he emitted enraged him to the point where he felt his blood boil. He could sense the aura growing stronger. His enemy was coming straight to him. "Prepare all troops to intercept the enemy boarding parties, we'll break the spear head of their attack." Raze ordered. The crew rushed to obey his commands, and Raze's eyes narrowed as he stared out at the battle unfolding before him. His foe was formidable, but not invincible. He would break him.

Whooping alarms sounded throughout the bridge. "Enemy vanguard has arrived!" The communications officer shouted about the cacophony. "All crew members prepare to receive boarders, I repeat-"

Raze turned and walked down the aisle towards the bridge exit. He could sense the Jedi on his ship now. His Force senses were alive with bloodlust, like a predator's nose agitated by the scent of fresh prey. His focus became laser-like as he locked onto his target through the Force. The hunt had begun. Entering a turbolift, the doors closed behind him as a group of soldiers rushed to their battle stations.

The turbolift deposited him on the hanger deck, and he stepped out to see the hanger engulfed in a fierce battle. The stench of the Light Side filled the entire space, nauseating and enraging Raze. His predatory eyes locked onto the Nautolan dual-wielding twin blue lightsabers as he carved Imperial troops to pieces. His fluid grace and deadly precision were informed by the Light Side, even though his expression didn't even flicker as he mowed men and women down like a killing machine.

Drawing his lightsaber as his walk turned into a run, Raze felt his adrenaline surge as he charged into battle, unleashing a Kaleesh warcry. His opponent turned at the sound, and, seeing the Kaleesh charging towards him, turned from the corpses of the squadron he had just slaughtered and rushed his foe. The two met in a flurry of clashing blades, and Raze soon found himself nearly overwhelmed by the Nautolan's Ataru style. The Jedi somersaulted over him, his blades extended and slashing at Raze repeatedly as their wielder balled himself up and spun in midair. This was followed by a series of spinning attacks and overhead leaping strikes that made utilizing his favored Juyo form very taxing for Raze. Falling back on Soresu, Raze defended himself as best he could from the assault, keeping his blade moving and spinning to avoid losing momentum. The Nautolan attacked him furiously and from all sides, seeming to wield four blades instead of two. The speed and grace with which he executed his assaults was almost breathtaking.

The battle dragged on for half a minute, and the Jedi's attacks grew more intense as he neared the end of his reserves. Realizing he couldn't just play hard-to-get and expect to win, Raze took a more proactive approach, giving ground before the Jedi in apparent retreat. He led his enemy by the nose up a ramp and into the hanger control room. So focused was his opponent that he failed to notice what Raze was actually doing, and after a throwing himself at Raze in a spinning charge, he nearly ran into the opposite wall when Raze sidestepped the attack. The near-collision threw him off balance, and Raze was on him like a Vornskr. His savage slashes and brutal combination attacks left the Jedi Master scrambling for space. But when he attempted to leap out the window into the hanger, a quick use of Force telekinesis by Raze activated the emergency force field on the pane, causing the Jedi to crash into it and fall to the ground. Raze moved in for the finishing blow but the Jedi turned his fall into a roll, forcing Raze to jump to avoid having his legs knocked out from under him.

Whirling around just as the Jedi leaped to his feet, Raze charged him again. This time the Nautolan attempted to make a break for the door, but once more Raze used his mind to remotely activate the emergency force field, sealing them both inside.

"You can't escape me, Jedi." He hissed, and attacked with savage fury. Unable to use Ataru to its full extent within the enclosed space without putting himself at even more of a disadvantage, the Jedi resorted to Makashi, expertly defending himself from Raze's attacks with minimal strain on his Force abilities, relying instead on his footwork and balance to outmaneuver his opponent. His skills however, were not good enough, and Raze continued to hold the advantage, constantly backing his foe into a corner until the Jedi took advantage of an opening to escape the closing trap. They circled around the chamber, the Jedi's energy slowly draining under the sustained assault of his seething foe. Xalek was as strong and as fresh as when the battle had started, constantly feeding off of his bubbling hatred and unquenchable rage to sustain him and renew his strength, while the Jedi was growing slower and weaker, exhausted by his initial burst of action at the beginning of the battle.

Suddenly seeing an opening, Raze stabbed forward with his lightsaber, attempting to impale the Jedi where he stood. The dexterous Nautolan however, slipped elegantly to the side and Raze's blade sank into the wall behind where the Jedi had been. There was a loud sizzling noise, and sparks flew from around the blade. The sound of a generator shutting down emerged from the din, and the force fields trapping them both inside the control room deactivated. The Jedi leaped through the window, crashing through the glass in a curled up ball and landing nimbly on the floor of the hanger far below. He dashed towards the shuttle on which he had come, the surviving troops he had brought with him covering his retreat.

Standing in the window, Raze reared back and hurled his lightsaber at the escaping Jedi, the blade spinning like a plasma saw as it hurtled across the hanger towards his fleeing enemy's back. Suddenly, another spinning lightsaber appeared out of nowhere, impacting Raze's own and sending it off-course. Raze recalled it to him and followed the other blade's path with his eyes as it circled back to its owner. A black-robed human caught the crimson double-bladed weapon much as Raze had done, and realizing his new enemy was a Sith, Raze felt his anger increase tenfold. Leaping from the window, he watched in frustration out of the corner of his eye as the Jedi's shuttle took in the last surviving troops and rocketed out of the hanger bay.

Raze moved towards the Sith who had robbed him of his victory at a fast pace, leaping over obstacles as he closed in on his quarry. Back flipping up onto catwalk to escape his pursuer, the black-robed sith called out to Raze.

"Fisto is mine, if you know what's good for you run home to whatever master you serve."

Raze snarled. "The Jedi's life belongs to me fool. I won't let some upstart steal my glory."

"I am Darth Onakk. I'm the personal assassin of Darth Rictus of the Dark Council. Stand down, Sith. The Jedi is mine."

"I don't care who you are." Raze replied. "That Jedi was mine the moment he stepped onto my ship. I will be the one to kill him."

"Very well then, you can have him - if you get to him before me." Onakk said with a haunting laugh as he vanished into thin air.

Raze looked around the hanger for a working shuttle, finding one, he climbed aboard and started it up, blasting out of the hanger bay just as another shuttle's engines began to lift off the hanger floor.

Raze heaved, exerting all his strength in the Force, and the door to the bridge of the _Star of Alkidus_ burst inward. He walked through the jagged opening and saw Master Fisto standing at the front of the bridge with lightsabers already drawn. The bridge appeared to be empty, apparently the Jedi had been expecting him. With a running start, Raze closed the gap between them with a leap and drew his lightsaber. His foe fell into a ready stance.

"Surrender Sith, and I promise you fair treatment." Fisto said.

In response Raze attacked, his blade moving in swift, vicious movements. Fisto responded with the speed and grace of a dancer, the Force animating his body as he leaped, flipped, and twisted around his enemy's attacks. Raze unleashed a burst of lightning from his clawtips that the Jedi couldn't quite dodge, and the Nautolan's teeth gritted in pain. Seeing his enemy's guard was down, Raze moved in to press the advantage with his lightsaber. Their blades met, and the Jedi was forced on the defensive, once more adopting Makashi form to preserve his life. Raze unleashed a devastating series of lightsaber sequences followed by a well-placed blast of Force lightning that left the Jedi Master staggered and unbalanced. Moving in for the execute, Raze was forced instead to cease his final attack and dodge the crimson, double-bladed lightsaber that sailed through the air where he had been standing. The blade returned to the hands of its owner, and Onakk's voice echoed throughout the bridge, bringing Raze's seething rage to new heights.

"I told you the Jedi is mine, Raze." Onakk said. "If you don't stand down I will have no qualms about killing you too."

"His life belongs to the first one to drive their blade through his chest." Raze replied, already moving to assault the recovering Jedi. In a flash, Onakk crossed the distance, and the two Sith attacked the Jedi at the same time. Adopting some elements of Soresu into his Makashi form, the Jedi made use of both lightsabers to defend himself from the four deadly blades spinning and cutting through the air.

Raze attempted to stab the Fisto with a powerful thrust, but the Jedi turned his blade aside with an elegant parry, deflecting it so that it struck Onakk's blade, which had been coming in with a sweeping blow from the other direction, and sent the strike wide. Onakk attempted to recover by turning the deflection into a build up for his next attack, but Fisto dodged the attack expertly, causing Onakk's blade to nearly drive itself into Raze's abdomen, forcing the Kaleesh, who had been just about to take advantage of Fisto's temporary exposure, to parry the incoming blade with his own weapon, allowing the Jedi time to re-orient himself.

The battle continued like this for almost a full minute, the with the two Sith attacking at cross-purpose to each other and the Jedi playing them off against each other, turning their attacks on him into attacks on the other. Eventually, Raze began to realize that his fleet was losing the battle, and that if he didn't end this duel soon, the battle was going to go very badly. Unfortunately, with Onakk here, he couldn't hope for a quick resolution to the fight, and once more, his Master's words came back to him: "If you desire true strength, true power, you must be willing to put aside your pride when it does not serve you."

Onakk's next strike came swiftly, and Fisto barely managed to redirect it towards Raze...only Raze wasn't there. Suddenly, a heavy blow came down on Fisto's left flank, at an angle that made it impossible for Fisto to redirect or parry the attack towards Onakk. Forced to block it, Fisto was nearly struck by Onakk's next attack, which was far too powerful for him to deflect using a single lightsaber. Slipping past the attack and out from under Raze's squeeze play of a strike, he danced away in an attempt to recoup, but the two Sith didn't give him the chance. Now working in eerie tandem, they assaulted him from every angle, with each one filling the holes in the other's offense, forcing Tyke Fisto into full defensive mode.

Despite his best efforts however, they pierced his defenses and showers of blows rained down on him, draining his personal shield and Force armor to critical levels in a matter of moments. Now attacking from either side, encompassing him in a virtual storm of plasma, they battered him with a fierce intensity that left him unable to do anything but desperately defend himself as best he could, trying to stave off the inevitable.

Finally, his personal shield collapsed, and, with a concentrated burst of Sith lightning, Raze dissolved the last of the Jedi's Force armor, leaving him exposed with nothing but his cortosis armor protecting him. The Jedi used his telekinetic powers to rip nearby consoles out of the floor and hurl them at his opponents, trying to crush them beneath the intense weight and end the battle right then and there. Instead the two Sith nimbly dodged the deadly projectiles and proceeded to strike at his exposed face, forcing him to once more engage them in saber combat. Their deadly strikes began to wear away at the armor on his chest and arms, and finally, after a prolonged barrage of successful sequences, their blades pierced his chest at the same moment, Raze's blade penetrating his left pectoralis major from the front, while Onakk's pierced his right pec from behind. The Nautolan's final gasp left his lips, and when the two Sith withdrew their weapons the body collapsed to the bridge floor.

For a moment to two Sith simply stared at each other, animosity still simmering between them. It was Raze who broke the silence first.

"This was a tie."

"Yes." Onakk agreed. They continued to stare at each other for another brief moment before they simultaneously sheathed their weapons.

"The next time we meet, it won't be as allies." Raze promised.

"We won't meet at all." Onakk replied. "You won't even see me coming."

And with that, they both turned and left the bridge, each heading for the separate hanger bay in which their shuttle was parked while the battle raged outside.

Darth Marr was angry. He had good reason to be, many reasons in fact. Despite the recent success of Plan Omega and the subsequent invasion of the Core, the Republic was fighting back and the Empire's front lines were beginning to falter. After the damage caused by Malgus's revolution and the constant infighting between the other lords of the Dark Council, the only thing keeping the Empire in the fight was the recent establishment of a top-secret Isotope-5 mining project on Makeb. He had been right to call on the Imperial Ghost to accomplish that objective. The former Cipher Nine had completed the task with the same ruthless and meticulous efficiency with which he had completed the destruction of the Eagle's terror network and disassembled the Star Cabal.

Even so, the Empire was already in a grave situation before _this_ had happened. He snarled at the datapad displaying the report he had been sitting on the bed reading and tossed it against the wall. The device shattered, pieces flying across the captain's quarters. Marr let his masked face sink into his gloved hand, allowing a half-growl, half-sigh of exasperated frustration to escape his lips. He was getting too damn old for this. Not for battle, or the war, those things he knew and loved. Physical combat re-energized and revitalized him, renewing his spirit and making him feel young again. What he was growing tired of was managing and dealing with the constant betrayal, the constant treachery and lack of unity among the Sith. It gnawed at him like a swarm of insects eating him from the inside out, slowly decaying the Empire he was fighting so hard to preserve.

He was only one man, how could he be expected to bear the entire burden of the Empire squarely on his shoulders? A thought came to him. And where was the Emperor? Normally it was in times like these the Emperor had emerged from whatever solitude he had placed himself in to bring direction, purpose, and order back to the fractured Empire. If there was any time that the Emperor's authority and wisdom were needed, it was now, and yet the ancient ruler of their society was nowhere to be seen. Not even the Dark Council had heard directly from the Voice in a long time, and for a while Marr had begun to wonder if what the Jedi had originally claimed was true: that the Emperor was dead. Then the Dark Side had informed him differently. Through spending several days in deep meditation he had discovered that the Emperor was still alive, though in what state or form he couldn't discern. Still, the Emperor's silence was deafening. It was beginning to seem as if he had abandoned the people he had led for nearly a millennia, a thought Marr found equal parts terrifying and infuriating.

He couldn't do this alone, that he knew. As powerful and devoted as he was, he wasn't strong enough to bear the burden of leading the Empire through this time of crisis. But the Dark Council was full of self-interested fools and tyrants, interested only in power and control. They each sought to fill the vacuum left by the Emperor's strange absence, completely oblivious of their inability to wield that power and authority. They were all useless, every one.

No, Marr corrected himself. There was one among them whom he had hope for: Darth Nox. As ambitious and self-interested as the Zabrak was, Marr had seen more than enough examples of the young man's insight into the value of patriotism and putting the Empire above oneself. Time and again Nox had advanced his own and the Empire's causes simultaneously, often doing the field work himself instead of sitting around playing power games and dispatching minions to accomplish his work. The man never seemed to be very comfortable remaining in one place for long. He had only been on Dromund Kaas several times since his ascension to the Dark Council, and most of those times were for Dark Council meetings. Most of the time he seemed to be flying about the galaxy, winning battles, forming and strengthening alliances, acquiring resources, and co-coordinating operations. Nox, Marr believed, might one day be a suitable replacement for himself. With the Zabrak's talent for inspiring loyalty, a talent Marr somewhat envied, the old Sith had hope that, when his time came, Nox might prove to be the only being in the galaxy truly capable of unifying it and bringing victory and prosperity to the Empire and its people.

Marr stood up and crossed the room to the holoprojector. He switched it on and hailed Nox's public frequency. In moments the image of the Dark Lord, clad in his armoured robes with his signature skull-like helm obscuring and protecting his face, materialized.

"Darth Marr." Nox said with some surprise. "I wasn't expecting a communication from you."

"And I was not expecting to make contact you with you until a few moments ago," Marr replied, attempting to keep the anger out of his voice so as not to cause his ally unnecessary concern. "but in any case, I do not have time for politics and pleasantries today. My time is too short." Nox gave Marr his full attention as the elder Sith continued.

"Too many betrayers have attempted to seize power of late. Darth Malgus's men are finished, but the Dread Masters endure. Since you freed them on Belsavis their madness has driven them to conquest. One of them was slain by unknown parties on Darvannis, yet five remain."

"I take it something has changed?" Nox asked, and Marr thought he sensed a slight measure of amusement coming from the Zabrak, and for a moment he wondered if he had been wrong about him. But the feeling vanished as soon as it came and Marr dismissed it as a passing notion.

"They were the Emperor's favoured servants," Marr said, a hiss of anger creeping into his voice. "yet idolized fear above the Empire. Now we have found their fortress on Oricon, a remote moon."

"Their betrayal was inevitable." Nox said, speaking directly to the heart of Marr's anger and hatred. "Power such as theirs cannot be contained. It rises until it consumes everything or is obliterated, as you well know." The ease with which Nox had discerned the source of his frustration unnerved Marr, enough to temporarily push him over the edge.

"Their insanity goes too far." He snarled. "It breeds destruction, not glory!" His outburst finished, he brought himself back under control and attempted to continue the conversation in a more civil tone.

"The Republic moved before we did, sending a full fleet to Oricon. Its armada was undone by the Master's power over fear and madness. Our task force followed-a rapid strike deployment led by one Lord Hargrev, upon the insistence of Darth Rictus. Hargrev is a braggart and a sadist, but he has studied our foe. he believed that he and his acolytes could shield our task force from the Master's power."

"Let me guess," Nox said, "he was wrong."

"We lost contact soon after Hargrev's ships arrived in-system twelve hours ago. Either his forces were defeated...or Hargrev has betrayed us. Either way the Dread Masters will sense weakness and counterattack. I have no forces to spare-you represent our last chance to stop them."

"I might remind you that we are equals, Marr." Nox said with infuriating smugness. "What if I have other affairs to attend to?" Barely able to keep the anger out his voice, Marr hissed a reply.

"These matters threaten our very survival. But," he added, "if you aren't interested in uncovering the Master's secrets, I'm sure I can find another Dark Council member eager to do so..."

"Alright," Nox acquiesced, "alright, you've convinced me." His irritated tone brought more satisfaction to Marr than it probably should have.

"Even you cannot slay the Masters singlehandedly." Marr asserted, and for just a moment he felt that same flash of amusement coming from the Dark Lord, and once again he wondered if he had misjudged the young Zabrak. Was he truly so arrogant to believe that he could defeat the Dread Masters alone? Filing the thought away for later consideration, he continued. "If you can reach Oricon, however, you may find some remnant of Hargrev's task force. If all else fails send any warning you can of the Dread Master's strengths. Perhaps then we can limit our losses to mere sectors."

"Rest easy, Darth Marr." Nox said with a cool, collected calm that Marr found worrying. "The Dread Masters will not leave Oricon alive. Defend the Empire from its enemies without," he said, a note of insidious menace entering his voice as he spoke his next words, "allow me to deal with our enemies within." The transmission cut out, and Marr stood in silence for a moment, reflecting on what the growing sense of unease in his gut could possibly herald.

The _Midnight Shadow_ dropped out of hyperspace near Oricon, just out of range of any anti-orbital weaponry. Nox, seated in the captain's chair, immediately felt the presence of the Dread Masters emanating from the moon in palpable waves.

"Our scanners show heavy defenses all around the moon," Andronikos reported from one of the two pilot seats. "We can put the ship down but she'll be vulnerable to any planetary defenses, and based on the amount of anti-orbital weaponry we're picking up, any level of orbit won't make a difference."

"Put me down with a landing beacon," Nox said absentmindedly as he stared at the glowing, reddish-brown ball of fire and rock that was centered in the viewport. "then take the ship out of orbit. I'll activate the beacon when it's time to depart."

In a matter of minutes, thanks to the new cloaking device Andronikos had recently installed and Nox's own efforts to keep them hidden in the Force, the ship hovered above a portable landing platform installed by the remains of Lord Hargrev's task force, which were waiting as the boarding ramp lowered to allow Nox to drop the remaining five meters to the ground. He was quickly followed by HK-51 and Khem Vaal, both leaping off the lowered ramp to land on the metal platform. As soon as he breathed the atmosphere, Nox felt the wiggling worm of fear slither into his brain, and when he feet touched the surface, the worm suddenly became a whispering serpent, infecting him with its toxic lies, attempting to poison and twist his mind into a paranoid, writhing mess.

If the natural aura of this world creates this effect, Nox mused to himself, it's no wonder both task forces were lost. Glancing around the camp, Nox also noticed that almost everyone seemed to be on their guard, staring out into the distance as if expecting a great army to suddenly emerge from thin air and swarm them. A few guards, both soldiers and Sith, were talking, but seemingly only to confirm that the other was still there, or perhaps to try and take their mind off of the unnerving atmosphere the moon created. The _Midnight Shadow_ , it's cargo deposited, roared up into the sky, Andronikos quickly reaching the vessel's top in-atmo speed to try and outrun the Force senses of the Dread Masters and their minions. It appeared to work, and the ship soon vanished into the sky.

" _You have come far too late._ " The deep voice of Master Tyrans rumbled over the landscape. Nox's gaze flew over the surroundings, searching for any hint of the Dread Master's physical presence. No one else seemed to notice the voice, but Nox heard it clear as day.

"By _Oricon's next sunrise your worlds will burn_." Dread Master Raptus's hypnotic intonations echoed, weaving a symphony of emotion in Nox's brain, a symphony dominated by the clear, strident chord of profound dread. With growing apprehension, Nox realized that the Dread Master's powers were strong here, seemingly amplified by the moon's own unique aura. Even he could not fully resist their influence, he would have to fight it for as long as they endured.

"Declaration: The area is secure." HK said as he finished scanning the immediate area without finding any discernible threats to his master's safety. The droid had been significantly upgraded since Nox had retrieved it from the Fatality. HK-51 now sported a brand new chassis designed specifically for advanced recon, along with an entirely new series of protocols to match. Nox was quite pleased with the end result, HK was now fully equipped to perform all manner of stealth, infiltration, and assassination missions with proficiency and skill that nearly rivaled Nox's own. Unfortunately, this also made the droid less effective as a bodyguard, which was why Nox had also brought Khem along. The Dashade's inherent Force resistance made him as valuable as HK on this mission, although in a different way. HK relaxed his stance of focused vigilance and turned towards Nox. "Complaint: Master, did we have to bring the brainless monster with us? I assure you that I could more than compensate for whatever benefits his presence here might provide you."

"Dolnei akuchiy volusae meega akibuun." Khem Vaal said, clenching his fists as he adopted a threatening posture and turned to face the droid.

"Threat: It will be difficult to disassemble anything with thirteen blaster holes in your chest cavity." HK responded, brandishing his rifle menacingly.

"Enough." Nox commanded, the authority in his voice more than enough to make both droid and Dashade adopt less confrontational postures. "HK you will not question my decisions unless I request your input, and Khem?" The monster raised his head slightly to demonstrate his attention to his master's orders. "Ignore the droid unless I say otherwise."

"Doemi na wayzu." Khem said submissively, bowing his head.

"Atonement: My most humble apologies master." HK-51 said, inclining his head and returning his rifle to the magnetic holster on his back.

Satisfied that his companions would be on their best behaviour, Nox moved up the hill to the portable command center that had been erected near a group of large supply crates, Nox approached a woman in Imperial uniform and a Sith who Nox guessed was Lord Hargrev.

"Three more gone, my lord. Two commandos took knives to one another-hallucination induced psychosis, apparently-and Major Strix fled camp."

"Stupid, stupid..." The Sith said, exasperation and desperation leaking from his every pore. "Knives? They can't even resist carving one another like roasts?!" He paused to catch his breath and steady himself. "I'm sorry." He apologized, and for a moment Nox wondered if Hargrev had died and this Sith was merely a second-in-command who had taken over in his absence. "I know the things they saw... I can feel the Dread Masters, I can push them, but I can't stop it all. I'm so sorry Maiya..."

"Are you Lord Hargrev?" Nox asked the apologetic Sith. "Darth Marr asked me to find you."

"What?" Hargrev demanded, turning from his conversation with the woman, his brow furrowing in irritation.

"We're the remains of the task force, yes." The woman spoke quickly so as to explain before Nox could electrocute the Sith for being so brusque towards him. "You'll have to forgive us-Lord Hargrev is shielding our minds from the Masters, but it takes a toll."

"You know who I am." Nox asserted. "Whoever you answered to before you now serve me."

"My oath is to Lord Hargrev." The woman said, and Nox felt the urge, much more powerful than usual, to viciously punish her on the spot. But of all the soldiers and officers in the camp, she appeared to be the least affected by Oricon's unnerving atmosphere, a trait likely due to the same stubbornness that was currently offending Nox, so he stayed his hand.

"And your feeble-minded loyalty is appreciated, " Hargrev assured her. "but we can make an exception in this case. Fill our new leader in."

"Between their mental dominance and orbital weaponry the Dread Masters managed to annihilate our ships." Maiya said, flashing Hargrev a worried look as he put a hand to his forehead. "The survivors regrouped here. Our hope was to make one, final push to the Dread Master's fortress, but the Dread Guard have us trapped. We don't need firepower-we need manpower to break out."

Briefly turning to look out at the nightmarish landscape, Nox turned back to the officer. "Are there other survivors who can reinforce you? Give you the manpower you need?"

"The Republic." Hargrev said, breathing heavily as if he was being stifled. "They came to Oricon too-I can feel their soldiers out there, trapped and afraid."

"Then one way or another they will serve us." Nox said confidently. "I will acquire these Republic troops and persuade them to assist us. Hargrev, you and your acolytes focus on shielding the task force, don't be concerned with me or my companions. I will return momentarily."

"It's murder out there." Maiya warned. "The Dread Guard have machine support-enough to cut our reconnaissance into pieces."

"Thank you for the warning." Nox replied, turning to Khem. "Khem, you are to stay here and protect everyone in this camp as much as possible. However, Hargrev and his acolytes are your priority, understood?"

"Seiyma okidus heggibao." Khem replied, bowing his head in acknowledgement.

"HK," Nox said turning to the droid, "you're with me."

"Exclamation: Murder and mayhem await!" The droid said enthusiastically, following Nox as they moved towards the camp's forward entrance. Upon passing the turret-mounted guards, Nox waved his hand and vanished from sight. With a soft hiss HK-51's portable stealth generator activated, and he followed his master into the hellscape of the corrupted moon.

After a few minutes of careful scouting, they encountered a crashed escape pod surrounded by a small platoon of what could only be Dread Guard. The Nox remembered from his research that the yellow and black armor they wore was an indication of their role as the scouts for the Dread Host. Accompanying them were twin probe droids of Imperial design. With a brief series of hand gestures, Nox indicated to HK that he should find a good vantage point from which to provide cover fire. With a nod of assent, HK moved off, still under cloak, and began mounting a nearby rise. When he reached the top, he stabilized himself and signaled his readiness.

With the slow, deliberate movements of a predator stalking its prey, Nox moved towards the group, who were currently trying to cut open the sealed escape pod with a plasma torch. Nox could sense the terror of the man trapped inside, and he fed on it, using it to fuel his power, even as he summoned the Dark Side to his aid. Reaching the center of the gathering of brainwashed soldiers, Nox decloaked at the same time he unleashed a wave of withering energy that swept over the soldiers, slowing their reactions and temporarily sapping some of their strength. Twirling his blade in a dizzying pattern, Nox began to whirl around in place, his lightsaber becoming a deadly vortex of plasma that seared armor and deflected blaster bolts.

A sniper bolt suddenly sank into the back of the head of one of the Dread Guard, causing his body to go completely rigid and topple over, his weapon clattering to the ground. The second soldier was moving away from Nox, his damaged armor smoking and his weapon flailing this way and that as he searched in vain for the sniper that had killed his comrade. A second bolt struck his already damaged armor and ripped clean through it, leaving a smoking hole over his heart, he dropped like a stone. The third soldier had been charging Nox, wielding a large vibroblade in his hands when the Dark Lord had unleashed his lacerating attack and the sniper volleys took down his partners. Having witness the battle go from a fair fight to an utter failure in the space of two seconds, the man paused in both shock and in an attempt to process what had just occurred. Nox didn't give him the time to.

He unleashed a burst of lightning from his fingertips, the energy shocking the soldier and leaving him convulsing and spasming. With a quick flourish Nox beheaded the man, his lightsaber slicing through the unshielded, cheap armor like a knife through butter. At the same moment two tiny blaster shots, launched in near unison, impacted the probe droids and sent the machines skittering across the rocky ground.

Sheathing his lightsaber, Nox turned briefly to regard HK as he descended the hill to rejoin his master. After noting the droid had suffered no damage of any kind, Nox moved on to the escape pod, from which pure terror was now emanating in waves. Placing one hand on the escape pod's sealed door, Nox reached out with his mind, seizing on the young man's thoughts and calming him forcefully. Taking control of the man's mind, Nox instructed his new slave to unseal the door, which he did in short order.

"You are to go to the nearby Imperial camp and surrender yourself." He instructed the Republic soldier, who stood stiffly before him, as if in a trance. "Tell them I sent you, and that more reinforcements are on the way."

The human's weak, enslaved mind accepted the orders without question, and moved off in the direction Nox had come from at a steady run. Nox watched him go, and the voice of Dread Master Brontes resounded across the landscape.

" _Abandon your cause, there is only despair here._ " She said, her words producing chills that ran up and down Nox's spine. It took a great effort of will to suppress a physical reaction. It's this damn moon, he thought. It's making me vulnerable to their suggestion and mind control. If I don't weaken the effects of the aura I could end up succumbing to their madness.

Brushing aside the thought and mentally hunching his shoulders, he steeled himself against the growing loss of control he felt building in his mind and slipped into stealth, the hiss and pop of HK-51's stealth generator following close behind.

Jay-Li stood with his hands up in a posture of harmless submission as the female Sergeant waved her gun at him, her eyes wild and terrified, the wreckage of a droid laying not far behind her, filled with blaster holes.

"Sergeant Trila, I need you to calm down." He pleaded as steadily as he could.

"No!" She screamed. "Lies! I won't let you take me, you hear me! I won't go back! I won't go back! You can't take me!"

"Sergeant!" Jay said, worried he would have to resort to violence to pacify her. "Sergeant its alright, I'm a Jedi, I'm here to help."

" _You see salvation, when in reality, and enemy comes._ " The insidiously seductive voice of Dread Master Raptus boomed in their minds. With a start, Jay realized his own empathic abilities were allowing him to hear the thoughts the Dread Masters were planting in the Sergeant's mind. Considering the force of will he had to apply to resist the intense persuasion, it was a wonder the woman wasn't stark raving mad yet. Although by the look of her she would reach that point soon enough.

" _Your eyes lie._ " The succulent tones of Dread Master Brontes slithered like serpents up the back of Jay's spine and into his brain, pumping their venom into his mind, trying to corrupt his will and twist his intentions and thoughts. " _Fire._ " Came the command, " _Kill_."

"Ruuuuuaaaaaaagghhh!" Trila screamed, pointing her weapon at Jay and opening fire. In a flash Jay drew his lightsaber and deflected the shots, following the deflection with a quick hand gesture that caused the Sergeant to clutch her head as Jay bedazzled her brain through the Force, stunning her without really harming her. In a series of movements, Jay performed the physical and metaphysical actions that only he, of all the living Jedi in the galaxy, knew. The shield wrapped itself around Sergeant Trila in an aura of white light, and she collapsed to the ground, panting, struggling to resist the Dread Master's control even with the unique Force shield protecting her from some of the Dread Master's influence.

"Tanye." Jay said, in a tone bathed in calm, soothing succor. "Tanye, focus on the sound of my voice. You're going to be alright. I promise. Just focus on my voice, follow it out." The light of sanity came back to the woman's eyes, and Jay felt her shake off the last of the Dread Master's influence.

"Where...?" She asked, as she got unsteadily to her feet. "What...happened?" She put a hand to her head, and her eyes finally settled on Jay. "Grandmaster!" She said, surprised. "What are you doing here, and why do you-why do you look so weak?"

"I added my strength to yours, to help you resist the Dread Masters influence." Jay said.

"Oh, no-Master Jedi you're-" Jay held up a hand to stop her.

"Everyone here is important." He said. "I cannot face the Dread Masters or their servants alone. Now Tanye, I need you to take me to Master Ogan-Dei."

"I can do that, but he won't be of much use." The woman said. "He's in a trance with most of the other Jedi to protect us from the Dread Masters, and it's still not enough." Jay thought for a minute, his hand resting on his beard.

"Bring me everyone in the camp, start with those in the worst shape."

"Master Jedi," Trila said, "don't tell me you intend to..."

"I do, Sergeant. Now follow my orders, quickly. We don't have the time for insubordination."

Wordlessly, Sergeant Trila left to obey his commands, and Jay prepared himself for the trial to come.

Jay felt the strength leave his body as the last soldier in the camp was enveloped by the special Force shield. When he finished, he nearly collapsed face-first on the ground. Master Ogan-Dei caught him.

"Easy, Master Kenobi." He said, his strong arms helping the utterly exhausted Jay to the nearby medical tent, where he lay down one of the few beds that wasn't covered in blood and vomit. The stench of the mess didn't help though, and Jay started to feel a bit light-headed. He suddenly felt the soothing embrace of the Force, and turning his head he saw that Master Ogan-Dei had adopted a meditative pose, and was channeling healing energies into him. He tried to move, but the Jedi Knight near him reached out and stopped him.

"Save your strength Grandmaster, we need you alive. You saved everyone else, now it's your turn." Jay groaned as a healing sleep overtook him, and he faded into the blackness of unconsciousness.

Jay awoke to the sounds of the busy camp. Soldiers were rushing about, gathering supplies and weaponry, while military officers and Jedi barked orders. Slowly, gingerly getting out of bed, Jay stood to his feet on shaky legs, and slowly made his way towards the open-air command tent. Master Ogan-Dei and Sergeant Trila were surrounded by several other officers and Jedi, discussing what was likely battle plans.

"Master Kenobi!" A voice cried out behind him, and Jay turned to see a man in a medic's uniform rushing towards him, looking flustered and worried. "Master Kenobi you aren't supposed to be out of bed!" The medic reached him and gently took his arm. "Come with me, Master Jedi, please, you need as much rest as you can get."

"I'm fine." Jay said, struggling to keep his knees from buckling. He managed a weak smile. "I'm a Jedi, we recover very quickly you know." The medic shook his head furiously.

"Master Ogan-Dei and every other Jedi in the camp assured me you shouldn't be moving for at least three days after what you did. It's a miracle you aren't dead."

"They're just underestimating me." Jay said, trying to brush off the medic with as much success as a leaf trying to brush off a caterpillar. "I'm much better than I look I assure you." He returned to slowly making his way towards the command tent, with the medic trying to pull him back towards the medical tent as gently as possible. "Please, Master Jedi." The man pleaded. "I'm afraid I must insist!"

"As must I." Jay said determinedly. "I'm needed in the command tent."

"The other Jedi have the matter well in hand." The medic argued. "You've done more than enough, more than anyone else was capable of, now you just need to rest and recuperate."

The scene caused the beings in the command tent to look up from the table and see what was going on. When they saw Jay, Ogan-Dei scrambled to aid the medic in convincing Jay to return to the medical tent.

"Grandmaster," he said in his gravelly tone. "You should not be up and about. You're extremely weak and vulnerable."

"I keep telling everyone I'm fine!" Jay insisted. "Why does no-one believe me?"

"With all due respect Grandmaster." Ogan-Dei said. "I've never seen any Jedi do anything like what you just did and survive. None of us want to take any chances."

"I've done this before." Jay insisted. "The weakness won't kill me unless I extend myself like that again. I'm perfectly capable of serving in a command capacity." Master Ogan-Dei and Sergeant Trila exchanged looks, and finally Ogan-Dei reluctantly relented.

"Very well Master." He said. "But the medic will remain at you side at all times and monitor your situation, at the first sign of your condition worsening we will return you to the medical tent for care."

"Agreed." Jay said, before the Weequay could change his mind. "So what's currently on the table for discussion?" He asked as he and Ogan-Dei made their way back to the command tent.

"Defense of the camp." The Jedi Master replied. "The Dread Guard is closing in on our position and we don't have the manpower to organize an adequate defense."

"What have your scouts reported?" Jay asked as they reached the strategy table. He was relieved that he had an excuse to lean on it, although his arms barely had enough strength to support his body with shaking.

"The Dread Guard's positions are marked." Ogan-Dei said, indicating on the holomap. "They appear to be boxing us in as if to drive us into the lava sea." He continued, indicating the dispersal of the Dread Master's forces. Jay stared at the holomap, forcing his tired eyes and lethargic brain to process the information. Every so often he would indicate a spot and someone would move the holomap to accommodate him. After what felt like a good few minutes, he shook his head.

"No. they aren't boxing us in, they just want it to seem that way."

"I'm sorry Grandmaster," said Ogan-Dei, looking a little surprised. "but could you explain?" Jay indicated several spots where the Dread Guard were clustered. "See how they gather in higher concentrations in the open areas with softer ground? That's because they're looking for something in those spots."

"This is their moon," a Jedi Knight asked. "what could they possibly be looking for?"

"Survivors." Jay said grimly.

"Survivors?" Sergeant Trila exclaimed. "You think there were survivors of the crash?"

"Most likely." Jay said. "The Dread Masters would have ordered escape pods to be left alone for this very purpose. After the crash they would dispatch the Dread Guard to capture the survivors and swell their ranks."

"But why go to such effort to swell their ranks?" An officer asked. "That's a lot of troops and resources to deploy just to capture a few people."

"It's not just a few people." Jay said. "Most of the crews likely survived the crash if the recovery operations are this well organized. The anti-orbital weaponry was likely used in such a way as to crash the ships with minimal casualties to allow for as many potential recruits as possible. They're swelling their ranks in preparation for something."

"Like what?" Sergeant Trila asked, her tone indicating she didn't really want to know the answer. Jay thought for a minute before replying.

"I believe they intend to counter-attack."

"How?" Master Ogan-Dei asked. "They don't have any ships, there's no way they could assemble a fleet in time to launch a surprise counter-attack." Jay shook his head.

"I don't know how either." He said. "But I'm sure that this, or something similar, is what they're planning. In any case, the next move we need to make is clear. We have to send out well-armed search parties to recover as many survivors, Imperial and Republic, as we can."

"Even the Imperials?" Sergeant Trila asked incredulously. "We don't have the resources to keep that many prisoners."

"I wasn't suggesting keeping them as prisoners." Jay said, aware the implications would shock, or even anger, many of the people around him. It took a moment for the reality of what he had said to settle in.

"You're suggesting we ally with Imps?" An officer asked, disgust and anger radiating from him.

"We don't have a choice." Jay said softly to hide the fact that his voice was growing weak and strained. "Every Imperial survivor we bring back to our camp as another soldier snatched from the hands of the Dread Masters, and as the Sergeant said, we don't have the manpower to keep prisoners."

"Why don't we just kill them?" A corporal in the back piped up.

"Because that too, would be a waste of resources." Jay said. "We need every blaster bolt and every able body to fight the Dread Guard, down here it doesn't matter who's Imperial and who's Republic. All that matters is survival."

"The Grandmaster speaks the truth." Ogan-Dei said after a moment of silence. "I don't like it anymore than any of you do but we have to face it. We won't survive without every advantage we can get our hands on. As of this moment, the Grandmaster's observations have become orders. Prepare for rescue operations everyone." There was some grumbling, but mostly stunned silence as everyone departed to take the orders to what remained of their teams and prep for the operation. Jay turned to Ogan-Dei and Trila.

"Can we set up a transmission beacon?" He asked.

"We can," Ogan-Dei confirmed. "But it will take time to break through the signal jamming the Dread Guard are blanketing the area with."

"How much time?"

"We have no way of knowing." Ogan-Dei said sadly. Jay sighed.

"Try anyway. We need to get through to High Command, or all our efforts here are in vain." Ogan-Dei nodded, and he and Trila moved off to follow their orders. Jay turned his head and stared out into the twisted hellscape. At the edge of his severely weakened Force perception he could sense the same darkness that had vexed him since those visions he'd had long ago, warning him of the galaxy's future. The implications of the dark presence being here disturbed him deeply, and he wondered if he might be going crazy.

Ashara sat quietly in the meeting hall of the People's Palace where the many members of the Felquarran Parliament were discussing the proposition to join the Empire. The debate had carried on for two hours already, with only some small progress towards the outcome Ashara had hoped for. The Prime Minister was doing his best to keep up the appearance of being impartial and unbiased, but when many of his closest friends, advisors, and cabinet were skeptical, it has hard for Ashara to believe that he didn't have strong doubts as well.

"The Empire has a long and well-known history of war crimes, atrocities, and genocide!" A pro-Republic Minister named Willerk Byusi was saying. "Their heinous reputation is well-earned, not a product of Republic propaganda."

"So you admit, Minister Byusi, that the Republic does indeed have and make ample use of propaganda machines." Came the cool, calm voice of Minister Ryhelm, an advocate for Imperial rule.

"Nay, Minister Ryhelm." Byusi replied, and Ashara could tell he was struggling to keep himself calm in the face of his challenger's accusation. The irony of an elderly man losing himself in his own passions while debating a calm and collected young man easily less than half his age was not lost on Ashara, and she allowed herself a quiet chuckle at the optics. All the average Felquarran watching at home would see was a group of tired, old conservatives desperately trying to avoid nationalization so they could keep taking bribes from big companies in exchange for loosening legal restrictions on big businesses, while their opponents used cool logic to deflate their arguments and advocate for what was obviously in the people's best interests.

The thought reassured her that the move she had made was the right one, and that the result would be met with public support. The removal of democracy would be seen as the toppling of a tyrannical dynasty of greed and corruption by the general public, and the example set by Felquarra might convince other worlds to follow.

"So what you're saying, Minister Lok'Tual," boomed a large, strapping young man with a stern face, "is that while the Republic is guilty of many, if not all, of the same crimes as the Empire, we should ignore such facts and focus on the Empire's travesties out of misguided tribalistic loyalty."

"If you were listening, Minister Valghii" came the reply from a hawkish-looking man in his late forties. "you would have heard the good Minister from Chuyuuma state that the Republic's crimes should not be ignored, but that in the Empire such transgressions are committed without any chance for justice or recourse!"

"On the contrary," came the voice of Minister Whesigal, "in the Empire the ideal of justice is actually upheld, whereas in the Republic it is merely a tool of convenience used by the powerful to extort and oppress the weak."

"As if the Empire doesn't oppress the weak." Minister Ladiis chuckled, her wrinkles showing around her eyes and mouth, and scorn taking over her face.

"Do not confuse law and order with oppression, Minister Ladiis." A tall, willowy woman replied with cool detachment. "The Empire has laws, and unlike the Republic, they enforce them on everyone."

"Except the Sith." Snarled Minister Tyqez. "They're allowed to run rampant, murdering and pillaging on a whim!"

"I would advise you to watch your tone, Minister." Said Valghii. "Especially considering that we have a member of the order you are accusing in these very chambers. In response to your question, let us entertain, for a moment, the notion that this accusation is true. How can you explain the fact that you are still alive and not, say, being Force-choked to death by our most esteemed guest? Most beings accused of such things as you accuse the Sith of would react quite badly, and if the Sith are truly as depraved and violent as you claim, then surely none of them could ever allow you to live after offending them in such a manner?"

"Do not be so foolish, Minister Valghii." Minister Tyqez replied, anger in his voice. "They show us what we want to see to lure us in, before striking from the shadows. They're a bunch of murderous, deceitful cowards!"

"It would be good for the assembly to be reminded," Minister Valghii said when the collective gasp of surprise and murmurs of agreement or dissent had died down. "that Minister Tyqez had a daughter among the Jedi, and a son who was a soldier in the Republic military, both of whom were killed by the Sith."

"That doesn't change the facts!" Minister Tyqez burst out.

"What do you know of facts, Minister?" Came the response from another minister in the crowd. "Unlike you we don't change the facts to suit our personal feelings!"

"Order! Order!" The Prime Minister bellowed when the hall erupted with shouted arguments and insults. The hall quickly quieted, and the Prime Minister spoke.

"Let us remember, ladies and gentlemen of the assembly, that while this is a place of free speech and free expression, the members of the assembly are expected to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their station, regardless of personal convictions or feelings. Arguments are welcome, insults and slander are discouraged."

"If our opponents cannot make their arguments without hurling slanderous accusations at us or the Empire," Minister Whesigal said, as a man approached the Prime Minister and whispered something in his ear "then it seems obvious to me which side has won this debate."

Minister Byusi opened his mouth to reply, when the Prime Minister, his face as pale as a ghost cut him off.

"Ladies and gentlemen I'm afraid this debate must be put on hold until the current crisis is resolved." He said, and murmurs of concern swept through the crowd. The large holoprojector in the center of the hall activated, and the image of the Gam'Tuak fleet in orbit over Felquarra turned the murmurs into outright cries of alarm.

"Mere minutes ago the Gam'Tuak fleet arrived in-system and blockaded Felquarra." The Prime Minister said gravely, his face drawn. "They've issued an ultimatum. We are to stand down immediately and deliver the Imperial ambassador to the Gam'Tuak commander of the invading force. We have twenty four hours to respond or face a full-scale invasion."

The hall was now dead silent. Everyone stared at the holo image with looks of fear and horror on their faces. Normally, Ashara felt sick whenever she sensed fear in another being. That feeling had often driven her to action to reassure those afflicted by it, but now, looking at the image of an alien fleet in orbit, knowing that she had brought it here to fulfill her purpose, and sensing the fear these people had for the tool she had chosen accomplish her will, she couldn't help but feel elated. These people feared her. They didn't know it, and they likely never would, but in this moment, without saying a word, without raising a weapon or giving an order, she had instilled fear. The euphoric rush as she fully realized her own power invigorated her. She drew on the fear of those gathered in the hall, and she found it no longer sickened her, but nourished and strengthened her. Yes, they were right to fear her, they were right to fear what she could do. They would be wise to bow in absence...but that would not happen, not yet. Her squeeze play was not yet complete, but one way or another, it soon would be.

"This assembly is dismissed for a three hour recess." The Prime Minister said. "We will reconvene to begin discussion of how we will answer the ultimatum." Quietly, one by one, each member of the Felquarran parliament rose to their feet and began a stunned shuffle towards the exits. Ashara, pretending to have spaced out staring at the holo image, waited until the majority of ministers had left the hall. When there was only the Prime Minister, his cabinet, a few close friends and advisors, and the occasional straggler left behind, she rose to her feet and left. There was one more thing she had to do to tip the balance in her favor, and with any luck, it would make all the difference.

Nox strode back into the Imperial base camp, HK-51 trailing behind. The brainwashed Republic soldiers he had acquired were already there, being treated for their injuries and resupplied. They obeyed every order from a Sith or Imperial without question, and Nox noticed a cadre of four Imperials ordering a group of the mind slaves perform humiliating or amusing acts for their entertainment. Nox gestured to HK, and the droid moved off and took up a sentry position just outside the camp's borders, ready to pick off any incoming enemies with sniper fire.

Without a word, Nox walked up behind the group of Imperials, drew his lightsaber, and began cutting them down one by one. Their cries of shock, anguish, and suffering immediately drew the attention of every being in the camp, and the rest of the task force watched wordlessly as their slothful comrades were slaughtered, the atmosphere of fear that permeated the camp growing stronger. When all four bodies of the indolent soldiers lay in pieces on the ground, Nox sheathed his lightsaber, turned on his heel, and stalked over to Lord Hargrev.

"I've recovered about twenty Republic assets and ten Imperial ones." He stated, his voice as calm and relaxed as if he hadn't just butchered four men mere seconds ago. "I trust they are being prepared for the assault to push back the Dread Guard?"

"Of course, Darth Nox." Hargrev said, seeming to be struggling to keep himself calm and composed. "All eighteen of the Republic soldiers and twelve of our own that you recovered will be battle-ready within the hour." Nox nodded in approval.

"Continue monitoring the preparations, I will not tolerate languidity. No-one here is irreplaceable."

"As you command, my lord."

"Oh and see that I am not disturbed as I meditate." Nox indicated the spot he had in mind, a sizable rock outcropping overlooking the lava sea, and far enough from the camp that the noise of the lava would drown out most of the ambient noise. "I sensed two sources of dark power outside the fortress during my roving, I intend to locate their exact locations and move on them before or in synch with the attack on the Dread Host."

"It will be done, Darth Nox." Hargrev said, bowing his head in fearful respect and obedience. "Take as much time as you need, I will ensure nothing disturbs your concentration until we are ready to launch the assault."

Satisfied, Nox turned and leaped across the camp, landing atop the rock outcropping more than twenty meters away. Walking to its most distant edge, he seated himself in a kneeling position and began to call upon the Dark Side. He could feel them out there, like two pulsing hearts of dark power they drummed out a beat that left ripples in the Force, their metaphysical percussion creating a dark symphony in the mind that permeated the land and air.

Reaching deeper into the Force, Nox perceived that while the twin heartbeats were the source, their influence was spread out over the rest of the terrain separating the Empire's camp from the Dread Fortress. Nox reflected on his journeys, he remembered that as he had sought the Republic survivors he had spotted strange devices mounted on three metal legs, surrounded by members of the Dread Host engineering corps, easily identifiable in their purple and black armor and by the aura of dark Force energy that surrounded them at all times. Each member of the corps was a minor Force user and was trained as a Sith trooper, but the more powerful members wielded lightsabers and were referred to as "Corrupters", overseeing the recovery and application of Force artifacts and ancient technology.

He also remembered seeing packs of heavily mutated Tukata roaming near the forces of the Dread Guard, but simply ignoring them, as if they were used to the presence of so many sentients, as if they had been trained... These were clues, of that he was certain, but there was no way to know what they were hinting at without investigating. This area was so saturated with the Dark Side that he could not determine more than a very general location of the two sources of dark power, so he would have to do some exploration to determine their precise coordinates.

Rising to his feet, he felt his connection to the Dark Side slip away until he called on it again, and after a moment of consideration, he chose Khem to accompany him. The two assassins slipped into stealth, making their way towards the power source in the south. Eventually they began coming across those strange, three-legged structures, being guarded and maintained by squads of Dread Host soldiers, who were often accompanied by repair droids and the occasional Corrupter. Upon closer inspection of one of the devices, Nox discovered that the device was channeling Dark Side energy into the ground. He also discovered that the innate fear the moon itself seemed to cause grew intensely stronger the closer he got to the device. Setting Khem on the guards, Nox studied the thing while Khem defeated and devoured his foes one by one, leaving the Corrupter for last. With an outstretched hand and a burst of Sith lightning, Nox overloaded the strange machine and it broke down with a small explosion.

Nox immediately noticed that the fear-inducing effects of the moon weakened almost instantaneously, and with a start he realized that these Force manipulating machines were terraforming devices, or rather, terror-forming devices. He smiled at his own joke, and looked up just in time to see Khem devour the screaming spirit of the Dread Guard Corrupter and sheath his massive vibroblade.

"Come on Khem," He said rather cheerily. "We have to destroy every single one of these!"

An expression that could have passed for excitement crossed Khem's usually unchanging face, and the hunger in his beady orange eyes was evidence enough as to why.

Nox unleashed a burst of lightning that fried the last of the terraforming devices, and turned to see Khem locking blades with the only survivor of the four-man squad of Dread Guard that had been protecting the apparatus, a Corrupter. The man's purple blade moved in simple, broad strokes as he defended himself from Khem's blows and struggled to land some of his own. He seemed to be a Form VI practitioner, and a bad one at that. Reaching out with the Force, Nox plucked his foe from his position, pulling him through the air with an invisible hand, and plopped the surprised Force user directly in front of him. Immediately Nox went on the offensive, showering his shocked and off-balance opponent with strikes and blows meant to be unpredictable and difficult to defend against, but that were also well-balanced, so that any attempt at retaliation could be parried or blocked. Nox effortlessly mixed bursts of lightning into his sequences, and his enemies defenses fell quickly. By the time Khem reached them, the Sith was so weak he couldn't even parry the Dashade's executioner's blow in time, and the vibroblade cleanly decapitated him.

Returning his lightsaber to his belt, as Khem sheathed his vibroblade, Nox found he could think much easier now. The serpentine voices that had been dripping psychic poison into his ears since he arrived on planet were not gone, but their power was less irresistible, and Nox found it easier to squash the bouts of paranoia that threatened to overtake him periodically.

Signaling to Khem to keep watch, he kneeled in meditation, and when he opened himself up to the Dark Side, he could perceive the location of the dark power source much more easily. Pinning down its location to a cavern on the southernmost shore of the lava sea, he rose to his feet and began to move in that direction, Khem following close behind as Nox cloaked them both in the Force.

Within minutes they arrived at the cavern, and sneaking past the guards spread out on the carved steps leading up to it they entered. Nox felt the disembodied voices regain their strength, and he steeled himself for whatever he might find at the other end of the long, winding tunnel they were following. When they reached a large cavern, Nox immediately saw the final terraforming device, also of interest though, was the absolutely massive, mutated Subteroth bound between twin energy generators by two ropes of crackling energy.

Sensing the connection between the generators, the Subteroth, and the final terraformer, Nox walked up to the machine and unleashed a blast of lightning to destroy it. The contraption exploded, and Nox instantly felt the energy in the room shift. Turning towards the Subteroth, he saw the generators shut down from the feedback overload, releasing the gargantuan creature.

At first, the beast looked stunned and disoriented. It moved its head from side to side and pawed at the ground as if trying to regain its bearings. Nox had to wonder how long it had been used as a battery for Dark Side energy, then decided he didn't want to think about it.

Gesturing to Khem, Nox moved off to a distant side of the cavern and signaled his Shadow Assassin to attack. Drawing his vibroblade, the crimson Dashade leaped at the subteroth, striking the surprised creature with a blow across the chest. It barely scratched the thing, but the beast reared up and roared angrily, immediately leaping at Khem with claws ready to rip and shred. Khem was too quick, however, and easily dodged the monster's clumsy efforts, even managing a counter attack.

Nox was about to charge in when he suddenly felt an explosion of Dark Side power within the monstrosity. Through the Force he saw the surge of dark energy rejuvenate and empower the creature, making it invulnerable to pain and healing its wounds instantly. For just a brief moment, Nox thought the Dread Masters had succeeded in creating some unstoppable beast, but then he saw the energy begin to fade away and he realized the effect was only temporary. Even so, with the last of its newfound unnatural strength the subteroth ripped a chunk out of the dirt-and-stone floor of the cavern the size of its torso and hurled the huge projectile at Khem.

Khem avoided being crushed like a Pelko bug by diving to the side, all the same the force of the impact shattered the boulder into fragments that nearly finished Khem off, and almost hit Nox clear across the cavern. Deciding it was time to intervene, Nox discharged a precisely calibrated burst of lightning that stunned the subteroth, leaving it nearly helpless. Then he erected a Force bubble around Khem, who was just now getting to his feet, and harried the beast with a constant stream of lightning from his fingertips. Battered and sliced by Khem's vibroblade, and ravaged by Nox's Force lightning, the monster's already fading defenses and strength nearly evaporated. In moments it collapsed to its knees and, with a final roar, fell flat on its face.

Approaching the corpse, Nox examined it briefly, before taking notice of the control console behind the platform upon which the monster had been imprisoned. Reaching it, he found it wasn't even so much as password protected, and he shut down the terraformer system, ensuring the Dread Host couldn't reactivate it for a good long while, enough time to deal with them and the Dread Masters.

His work here accomplished, he turned and exited the cavern, heading back into the tunnel that lead to the surface. Noting Khem's injuries and weariness, he channeled his powers of corruption as they walked to heal the Dashade's wounds and restore his strength. By the time they reached the mouth of the cave, Khem looked like he hadn't been in a fight at all.

Reaching out into the Force once more, Nox sensed that his next target lay somewhere to the north, beyond the strange tower rising up out of the landscape in distance. Smiling to himself, Nox waved a hand as he took a step forward, and vanished into the shadows.

Ashara knocked on the door of Golys's office in the People's palace. The door swung open to reveal Golys himself, looking understandably stressed.

"My lord!" He exclaimed in surprise, trying to fake a smile. "I was not expecting to see you."

"Can I come in?" Ashara asked politely.

"Of course, of course." He replied stepping out of the way and opening the door to allow her passage. She stepped into the room and was surprised at how tastefully decorated it was. Paintings and sculptures from all over the galaxy adorned the office, even the furniture seemed to be works of art.

"Please, sit." Golys said indicating one of the high-backed chairs that looked more like a sculpture than a seat. "As you can understand my mind is very occupied right now, but if there's something I can do for you..."

"Golys," Ashara said softly, "I would ask nothing of you at a time like this. I've come here with an offer."

"An offer?"

"I'm authorized by my superior to grant Felquarra imperial sanctuary should the need arise," She paused. "And I think we can both agree that the need has definitely arisen."

"Imperial sanctuary?" Golys asked, puzzled. "I'm afraid I'm not aware of what that entails, Darth Skade."

"It means that the Empire treats the sheltered world as if it were one of its own, but not for free, as I'm sure you can imagine. The protection comes at a cost."

"That cost being...?" Golys asked.

"That the world must join the Empire within six months of receiving imperial sanctuary, or face very heavy fines. The kind that ruin a world's economy."

Golys sat back in his seat, seemingly stunned. "Darth Skade this is...I'm sure you can imagine that we need the Empire's protection right now but, to join the Empire in such a way..."

"I understand." Ashara cooed. "You're worried about public opinion of you and your father after joining the Empire. But there's no need to be concerned, the Empire chooses its leaders based on competence and capability, not popularity. We promote the people who are willing to make the hard choices that come with the responsibility of leadership."

"But what about democracy?" Golys asked. "What about letting the people choose who rules over them?"

"Most Felquarrans, like most sentients in the galaxy, are too ignorant about politics to be anything more than a ballot in the hands of a more intelligent and capable being." Ashara said with a softness that belied the harshness of what she was saying. "They only serve as a useful idiot in the hands of the greedy and narcissistic psychopaths that inevitably end up at the top of a democracy. They need direction, they need guidance, they need leaders, not representatives. They need someone to tell them what's good for them, because despite how much they think they know and how intelligent and perceptive they think they are, the opposite is true."

"My lord, forgive me." Golys said in dismay. "But I cannot believe that the Felquarran electorate is as ignorant as you claim." Ashara smiled.

"Governor." She said leadingly. "The case of your mother's murder, why did it go unsolved?" Golys fell back in his chair, looking at her with equal parts shock and suspicion.

"How do you know about that?"

"I always do my research, governor." Ashara said, placating him. "I knew that your mother was murdered the night that you told me she was dead. After you escorted me back to my room I did some simple holonet research and discovered the truth."

"I see." Golys said, still not fully satisfied with her answer. "My father and I worked hard to bury that story, we didn't want it being used against us in any way." Ashara smiled again.

"And with that statement you've just confessed to already believing what I said about the electorate." Golys looked at her, puzzled, and with a touch of anger on his face.

"How do you mean?"

"You said your father and you buried the story because you didn't want any of your opponents to find a way to use it against you. Answer me this, if the electorate was as perceptive and intelligent as you claim to believe, then would they not see through any attempts by your opponents to use it to hurt your campaign, thus making your concerns completely unfounded? Furthermore, if you truly believed that the electorate was so enlightened, why would you and your father have buried that story? Wouldn't you have left it out in the open, trusting the electorate to see through the lies and slander of your enemies?"

Golys was silent for a long moment, and Ashara could tell he was considering her words very carefully. At long last, he spoke.

"You are right, of course, Darth Skade." He said in solemn resignation. "I'm so used to the democracy-worshipping culture of the Republic that I failed to see the hypocrisy in my own actions. Now I see that the Republic only engenders such hypocrisy by making it necessary in order to participate."

"Then you are well on your way to true enlightenment." Ashara said reassuringly. "It isn't that long ago now that I was where you are, until my master showed me the truth." She snorted in disdain. "You know, it's funny. The Jedi preach so much about truth, while the Sith say nothing of it. Yet the Jedi are the ones who live in a world of lies, while the Sith are immersed in truth, merely as a consequence of their beliefs."

"I believe I'm beginning to see that." Golys said with increasing conviction. "But on the original topic of conversation, what did you come to me about this for? I'm merely the governor of Felaq. My father is the only one who can accept your offer." Ashara nodded.

"Indeed. However, I believe he will not accept the offer. Not if I approach him first that is."

"Just what are you getting at Darth Skade?"

Ashara mentally steadied herself and began to weave the Force into her words, gently pushing Golys's mind towards openness, making him more receptive to her words. "Only that we utilize political astuteness to remove your father's inherent biases from his decision-making process."

"How so?"

"I want you to approach him and inform him that I, as the Empire's representative, am more than willing to provide Felquarra with imperial sanctuary to protect it from the Gam'Tuak. Inform him of the cost, and then if he protests joining the Empire under such circumstances, recount the conversation we had about your mother's murder." Golys looked to be considering it.

"So you propose that I approach him instead of you, to remove any anti-imperial bias he might have."

"Exactly. Coming from me, a Sith, those words might seem to be whispered seductions to lure Felquarra into coming under Imperial rule, but coming from his own son-"

"-they will at least seem reasonable and fair-minded." Golys finished. "Yes, I can see where you're coming from Darth Skade." Ashara gave him a warm smile.

"Then its settled. I trust you will see him before Parliament reconvenes?"

"Of course. I'll go see him right now." He said standing up and rounding the desk.

"Good luck." Ashara said softly, sidling up to him as he came close to her. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her curvaceous body against him, kissing him passionately on the lips. When she pulled away, his smile was as big as starship.

"That's all the luck I'll need."

Nox slipped stealthily across the rocky landscape of Oricon. Unseen and unheard, thoroughly cloaked in the Dark Side, he and Khem were little more than ghosts navigating the haunted terrain, slipping past or through Dread Host patrols with casual ease. Reaching the other side of the strange watchtower, Nox noticed a large pool of bubbling lava with a natural stone bridge rising up out of it, providing a way for the Dread Master's minions to reach the steps of the tower, which he could see across the pool, from here.

Also on the other end of the bridge was a human woman. Her bald head gleamed in the orange light of the lava pool below, and her sunken orange eyes spoke clearly as to the nature of her connection to the Force. She had a Sith tattoo on her forehead, and she appeared to be dressed in the robes of an ancient ritualist, the style of which would have been unfamiliar to anyone but Nox. The robes were, as best as he could tell, replicas of the robes Rakatan Force-using acolytes were said to have worn for rituals and other situations where battle armor was not necessary.

An acolyte of the Masters? Nox wondered. It was possible, the Dread Masters had, after all, once offered him the opportunity to learn their dark arts, it was likely this woman had been given the same opportunity. Perhaps she was being groomed to become an elite servant of some kind, perhaps a commander of the Host, or someone to assist the masters in their studies of the Dark Side.

It didn't matter anyway though. her journey ended here and now. Nox needed information, and by the looks of this woman she could provide it. Whether she did so willingly or not was of no consequence. With a series of hand signals, he ordered Khem to move in on the Dread Acolyte while he took up a position near the far corner of the bridge, far enough away that the acolyte's attacks would have little to no effect on him, but close enough that he could still support and strengthen Khem through the Force, and even attack the acolyte if he so wished.

With a sudden leap and a roar, Khem broke from stealth and nearly landed on top of the acolyte. Had he succeeded, she would have been hurled into the lava by the sheer force of over three hundred pounds of raw muscle slamming into her at incredible speed. Instead, she foresaw the attack moments before it happened and raised a Force barrier that Khem slammed into full force. The barrier shattered, but Khem's momentum was lost and he only barely managed to stay on his feet.

Laughing manically, the acolyte drew and activated a purple, double-bladed lightsaber, charging at the Dashade, who was still a little off-balance. With an outstretched hand and a thought, Nox erected a Force bubble around his assassin, sheltering the Dashade from the first few blows of his opponent's lightsaber, and by then Khem had regained his balance and had assumed a defensive stance. The hulking monster's ancient vibroblade, specially treated by Tulak Hord's Sith alchemy to deflect lightsaber blows, proved a valuable tool for Khem to defend himself from the acolyte's ferocious assault. The broad side of the blade allowed him to swat away his opponents weapon with enough force to momentarily unbalance her, while the sharp edges allowed for deadly strikes that forced her to expend as much energy defending herself as attacking her foe.

Realizing she couldn't overpower her enemy with martial skill alone, the acolyte stretched out with both her hand and the Dark Side, attacking Khem through the Force with her sorcerous powers. Nox, not one to be outdone, used his own knowledge of Sith Sorcery to cleanse the spiritual infection. At this point, the acolyte was so engrossed in her battle with Khem that she hadn't even seen him, and didn't realize that the Sith Sorcery combating her own Force powers did not belong to the Dashade. She used balanced blade work mixed with Force attacks in an attempt to keep up with Khem, and Nox realized she was a Niman user and, although far less adept than him, her skills were nothing to sneeze at. Still, she was having some trouble against Khem's use of Djem So, and it was slowly becoming obvious who was winning the fight.

As her strength ebbed and Khem fed on it to become stronger, her desperation grew, and suddenly she leaped straight up into the air, the Force building inside her through two forward somersaults before she slammed one fist and one knee down onto the unforgiving stone with enough force to shatter half the bones in her body. The kinetic energy however, simply dispersed upon impact, allowing her to land as softly as a feather while a wave of pure power blasted out from her, lifting Khem clear off his feet and sending him flying in a lazy arc into the hissing lava below. The acolyte, having finally noticed Nox, charged, an insane cackle wafting from between her lips as she prepared to assault her true foe.

Thinking quickly, Nox extended his hand, reaching out with the Force as he did so, and plucked Khem from midair, pulling the Shadow Assassin towards him even as his other hand reached out towards the Dread Acolyte and unleashed a bolt of incapacitating electricity. The Force pull plunked Khem onto the edge of the bridge less than ten meters from Nox, but the bolts that were meant to stun the acolyte seemed to have no effect, the woman merely laughing all the louder as she took the first swing. Nox immediately erected an impenetrable Force Barrier, and her lightsaber bounced off it. Just as she hit it again, Khem, who had gotten to his feet, came barreling towards her, vibroblade ready to slice her in two, and the battle once again took the form Nox desired.

Nox savored the spectacle as Khem slowly fed on the Force within his opponent, as if he were eating her alive, piece by agonizing piece. When Khem finally knocked the woman's lightsaber out of her hand and was about to go in for the kill, Nox stopped him with the Force.

Approaching the defeated foe, Nox signaled for Khem to stand back, then used the Force to lift his enemies chin so he could look her in the eyes.

"Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He said. "Tell me what I want to know and I'll give you a swift and relatively painless death. Resist, and I will savor every agonizing moment." She laughed again, the expression marinated in insanity and masochistic joy.

"Never! You don't know, you don't know!"

"What don't I know?"

"The Masters, you don't know the Masters! Ohhhh but you will, you will! They have such big plans for you!" Her voice rose to a shrill squeak, and she dissolved into laughter again. Nox sighed.

"The hard way it is." Extending his hands towards her, he penetrated her mind with ease, her once formidable willpower, which had allowed her to resist being incapacitated by his Sith lightning, literally devoured by Khem during their battle. Rummaging through her mind with a level of apathy clearly displayed by his lack of reaction to the woman writhing and screaming in pain on the ground in front of him, he found the information he sought, and when he had acquired it, he released his hold, and the woman went still, breathing shallowly and groaning softly, barely conscious.

Backing away, Nox gestured to Khem, and the Dashade approached, seizing her by the shoulders and hauling her to her feet, holding her up with his three-clawed iron grip. Opening his mouth, whitish-gray, ectoplasm energy began to emanate off the woman's body. The sight resembled a massive star being slowly consumed by a black hole, and the energy rushed into Khem's maw, a final telepathic peal of unhinged laughter echoing through the Force. Khem let the carcass drop to the stone, and followed Nox as the two of them vanished into thin air.

Raze sat cross-legged in the center of his mediation chamber aboard the _Starblade_. Feeling the Dark Side ebb and flow around him, tasting the fear, terror, and despair of the beings on the surface of Damerok far below him. His fleet had conquered the remainder of the system after destroying Jedi Master Tyke Fisto's defense fleet, and now a blockade of the system's capital world was in effect, and a full-on invasion was about to be launched.

Raze felt pride swell in his chest, he was growing stronger every day, he could feel it. As his strength in the Force grew so too did his power base. The conquest of the Damerok system would be his first major political acquisition. Although the move would expose him to his master's enemies, it would legitimize him as a true Darth. Normally, he would have balked at betraying his master like this, but since his revelation on Vlestakk he no longer truly cared what his master's desires were. He would serve him only until he had surpassed him, then he would replace him. It was the way of the Sith, the way of the Dark Side.

He suddenly felt the presence of someone outside the chamber, and with a thought, he unsealed the door to allow them to enter. Commander Harkanous walked stiffly into the chamber, his exterior the perfect picture of discipline. He approached Darth Raze and bowed low.

"My lord, are you ready for the briefing?"

"Yes." Raze said, getting to his feet and turning to face the commander, hands held behind his back. "Begin, commander."

"As you wish." Harkanous said, activating a portable holo-projector that displayed various images of buildings, fortifications, and individuals that were involved in the invasion plans. Raze had assigned the actual planning to the cadre of commanding officers that ran his fleet, but before they would enact it, he had to approve it. Harkanous spared no detail, and Raze paid attention carefully to everything he said, despite the mounting bloodlust that drove him to simply approve the plan, end the briefing and order the invasion. He could not afford for this plan to have any mistakes or weaknesses the enemy could exploit, if he failed here, not only would his master realize what he was doing, but the failure would prove him to be an unworthy successor.

So he listened, as each minute dragged by he forced himself to wrap his brain around the invasion plans and tactics, analyzing them both individually and as a whole. Several times he had to ask Harkanous to go back and explain a specific part of the plan to him with greater simplicity and directness, the commander dutifully obeyed, his voice, face, and mannerisms never betraying even a hint of disrespect, a minor feat in its own right, one that kept many an imperial officer alive long enough to be promoted to Moff.

"And now we come to the crux of the entire plan." Commander Harkanous said, and Raze's pointed ears pricked up. The image of a big hulking brute, clad in heavy armor from head to toe, equipped with a top-of-the-line jetpack, and wielding a rather large and dangerous-looking blaster pistol appeared above the holoprojector.

"Is this image life-sized?" Raze asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"Who is he?"

"His name," Harkanous said, gesturing to the image, "is Hydrax. He's a bounty hunter who is rather famous for his brutality and ruthless pursuit of his targets. He has yet to fail a single mission, or return any of his marks alive."

"Why does his name sound familiar?" Raze asked absentmindedly.

"He's named after a being from ancient Rattataki legend, my lord." Harkanous supplied. "Apparently the Hydrax of legend was the jailer of the underworld, armed and tasked by the gods to ensure those imprisoned there never escaped, or that if they did, it was never for long."

Raze nodded in understanding. "Yes, I remember hearing that legend during my days back at the Academy, so what is his role in this?"

"We've received information that Hydrax was hired by the Damerokian military to protect the monarch, King Lareesh." The image of the massive, well-armed warrior vanished, to be replaced by a slightly handsome, elderly human male. "The king is your target, my lord."

"My target, commander?"

"Yes, we thought it a gross waste of resources to keep you out of this battle. You are, after all, our greatest advantage."

"Naturally, continue."

"The mission we devised for you is to infiltrate the royal palace using the invasion as a cover. Then you can kidnap the king and return to the _Starblade_ with him in your custody. Whereas an actual invasion would take weeks to give us the planet and legitimize our control over the system, this way we can win with only one battle. With the monarch in our custody we can force him to sign a treaty dictating the terms of Damerok's surrender."

"A well-devised plan." Raze said, meaning every word. For a while there he had been worried that the invasion would take weeks, and that he would have to listen to hundreds more briefings like this one on a regular basis. If he could pull off this mission, he could skip all that and move straight to victory, just like in a game of Sakash Serpents and Steps, but with much more bloodshed and battle. "Very well commander, begin the invasion."

"As you command, Darth Raze." Harkanous said, bowing low once again. "You shuttle will be prepped and ready for takeoff in fifteen minutes, you can depart at your leisure once the invasion has begun."

"I will depart as soon as possible, as always." Raze assured him.

"Then good hunting to you my lord."

Nox awoke, slowly emerging from the dark fog that clouded his mind, obscuring his thoughts in shadow. Instinctually, he raised his head to look around him, and was startled when he realized he couldn't see anything. The darkness seemed as black as the void, and for a terrifying moment Nox thought he was dead. Then he saw the eyes. They stared at him with the wide, glassy gaze of an abomination, like a deep-sea creature that had never seen the light of day. Their eerie orange glow seemed to penetrate him, seeing into the depths of his being with the clarity of a god. But as his Force senses came slowly back to him, he realized they weren't eyes, they were merely the strange, glowing orange spots he had seen on the roots on Oricon.

Oricon! He thought, panicked. The Dread Masters! What happened? He suddenly realized he couldn't remember anything after killing the Dread Acolyte, whenever he tried to call up those memories they stubbornly stayed cloaked in the strange dark fog clouding his mind. Whatever had happened somebody or something didn't want him remembering. The Dread Masters? They seemed the most likely culprit, but he had thought they didn't consider him a threat. This kind of direct attack made no sense if that was true. Suddenly, one of the "eyes" moved. It was only slightly, barely noticeable, but Nox's senses were on high alert, and he suddenly realized that he could sense the presence of something living all around him. With mounting horror, he realized that even the bindings holding him in an upright, spread-eagled position were alive. Extending his Force awareness, he found Khem, similarly interred, only a few meters from him. Extending it further, he found that the "roots" were not plant life at all, but something else entirely. Harnessing the fear-based emotions rising up within him, turning them into anger and hate, Nox stretched out farther, simultaneously using the Force to dispel the brain fog and clear his mind.

Then suddenly, something broke, and it all came back to him in a rush, a flurry of images, sounds, smells, and various other pieces of memories. He had travelled further north, following the stolen memories of the Dread Acolyte he had just killed towards the cavern entrance on an island linked to the mainland by a natural stone bridge to the south, and a particularly strong and thick "root" to the east. Along the way he had observed roving packs of mutated Tukata being corralled by the Dread Master's beast handlers, whom he had also noticed seemed to be studying the strange vegetation that the Acolyte's memories told him were somehow linked to the source of Dark Side energy that he was after.

Upon arriving at the cavern's mouth, he had entered and begun winding his way down the long passage as it spiraled into the depths of the island. His and Khem's progress had remained unhindered, although the root-like plants grew so thick here that they nearly covered all but the floor of the tunnel. They had gone deeper and deeper until they had been attacked. The root-like vegetation had unexpectedly come alive, the only warning being a sharp, clear premonition mere moments before the attack itself. They had seized the unfortunate Khem immediately, dragging him deeper into the cave, and surrounding Nox like a thicket.

He had tried to escape, first with a large expulsion of Dark Side power, then with summoned lightning, but the roots had expelled some kind of terrible gas, filling the enclosed space with the odd-smelling substance until Nox felt his attacks grow weaker and his thoughts beginning to slur and fade. He held his breath, but it was too late. The gas had already entered his system, and was already working to quell his ability to call upon the Force, preventing him from purging the poison with the Dark Side. The last thing he remembered was being swallowed up by a hazy dark fog, the same fog from which he had emerged.

His Force senses now fully aware of everything in the cavern, Nox started when he realized that the pulsing source of dark power, the second dark heart, was behind him. The bonds that held him fast were its appendages, as were all of the root-like tentacles, not just in this cavern, but all across the area around the Dread Fortress. The bark-like skin was camouflage, and the orange "eyes" were merely sensory organs that detected movement and light, but not much else. Instead the creature relied more on touch, on the vast nervous system that covered miles and miles of the planet's surface.

Suddenly possessed of an immense rage, Nox twisted his wrists to grab a hold of the tentacles binding his arms, and unleashed his hatred in the form of crackling energy. The voltaic ropes wrapped themselves around the tentacles, feeding back through the incredibly delicate and sensitive nerves, reducing the first few feet of the tentacles to ash, and horribly charring another few meters after that. Nox heard a psychic scream of pain and rage, and he dropped to the ground as the tentacles holding his feet released him to thrash about wildly. He landed in a pool of water about ankle deep, and quickly made his way to shore, half stumbling in his mad scramble to put some distance between him and his captor. He heard the loud splash of Khem hitting the water face first, and he prayed that the shock would jolt his morose monster awake. He didn't like the idea of facing this thing, whatever it was, alone.

Reaching the filthy shore, he clambered up onto it, and whirled to see what manner of creature his captor was. He expected something like what he saw, but even so the sheer perverseness of the thing left him in shock. It was a massive trunk, seemingly formed of many of the root-like tentacles all wound around each other. There was also one particularly large glowing sensory organ a little off to the right from the center. The countless tentacles thrashed wildly, flailing and shaking, as the monstrous living tree bellowed its pain through the Force.

Nox briefly noticed Khem getting to his feet, and he reached out with his Force grip and plucked the Dashade out of harm's way, depositing him a few feet from him, and already beginning to channel his powers of corruption.

"Khem!" he shouted, trying to be heard over the roaring in their heads. "Kill!"

Thankfully, that was all Khem needed. He drew his vibroblade and charged. The thing failed to notice him until he had started hacking and slashing at its trunk. Howling, the tree brought its countless tentacles to bear, all of them rushing towards Khem to constrict and crush him. Reaching out with Dark Side, Nox erected a Force bubble around his Shadow Killer, and the tentacles crashed against the barrier, continuing to batter the protective field in an attempt to break it.

Nox reached deep into the creature's unguarded, unfamiliar mind, and was staggered when the vastness of its consciousness opened up before him. The living tree was one of many, spread all across this world, each one a single, simple mind, but together, they formed a living consciousness greater than anything Nox had ever encountered since that day on Asation. He realized that now, every one of them was aware of him. Even if he were to kill this one and escape, every single one of these abominations would hunt him down, literally pursuing him to the ends of the planet. There was only one thing he could do now.

Summoning the Dark Side, he felt the void, black and pulsing, emerge from its slumber. It filled his body, and his being melded with the void as he called upon the arcane energies he required for this act of profound destruction. The knowledge possessed him, and his body and spirit acted it out, fulfilling the rites even as the Force burgeoned within him, rising like a great, slumbering beast, terrible in its wrath, and finally awakened. He completed the last rite, and he felt the power burst out of him. The Dark Side energy pierced the living tree, and a horrible cry, more haunting than any unleashed by the thing before, echoed across Nox's mindscape. The tree began to turn black at the core, and the darkness swept outward over the massive thing, spreading to the twitching writhing tentacles, as the infection consumed the abomination. One by one the orange "eyes" dimmed, and the thing spent its final moments in silent agony.

Through the Force, Nox could sense the other trees, even though they were miles away, and he fed on their primitive, animalistic shock and horror as they felt the infection, transmitted through the Force bond they all shared, spread like a viral contagion. Above it all Nox could sense the great consciousness of the planet-wide collective, and savored its more deep and profound sense of terror and loss as it slowly degraded with the death of each of its nodes. The mind that had once spanned an entire planet, comprehended the universe in only the grandest of scales, was dying. Having never had to contend with a death so complete, with an annihilation so utter, it felt only the deepest terror. The terror that only an immortal god might feel when facing oblivion. Nox drank in every moment, feeding on the suffering of the planet-wide consciousness until the very last spark of life winked out.

Khem, who had been caught by the tentacles after they pierced Nox's barrier mere moments before Nox had unleashed his ritual on the creature, was getting to his feet after being dropped into the water once more, and made his way over to Nox, who was standing there, staring at the dark, empty husk of the dead tree.

"Ghuulhaben, jokiney ekidiess?" Khem asked. Nox didn't reply.

"Ghuulhaben, jokiney ekidiess?" Khem asked again. "Doshinaa yamea sinawaizuu?" Nox finally turned his head to briefly regard Khem.

"No, no I'm fine Khem."

"Jayleena zumeek ochiboun." Khem said, trying to hide his impatience.

"Yes, yes lets go." Nox said, turning his back on the empty shell, and heading towards the caverns only exit.

Skade stood still on the platform erected in the Capitol Square, surrounded by members of the Prime Minister's Cabinet and select Ministers of the Felquarran Parliament. She observed her surroundings without moving, gauging the emotions of the Ministers and the crowd gathered below them through the Force. She believed her manipulations had borne fruit. The Prime Minister was nervous, despite his exterior exuding calm and tranquil certainty. Many of the gathered ministers were also very anxious, and as the holoprojector on the platform came to life with a clean hum, Skade found she couldn't blame them. The Gam'Tuak general was tall and broad-shouldered, the very picture of confidence and power. His scaly skin seemed more like armor than flesh, and his stunted snout, a residual trait passed down from his reptilian ancestors, was home to a mouth that contained rows and rows of needle-sharp teeth. He was an imposing figure.

"Well, Prime Minister." The general growled. "What have you and your rabble decided?" There was an unmistakable sneer plastered across his snout, and Skade remembered from her research that the Gam'Tuak hated democracy, and had only sided with the Republic out of misguided territorialism. They viewed the Empire as a threat to their sovereignty, while the Republic was nothing more than an impetus to continue their xenophobic culture of war and slavery.

"Felquarra will not bow to you." The Prime Minister said. The conviction in his voice was so firm, it even surprised Skade. She had thought the Prime Minister was still conflicted about the decision, and yet here he was boldly and confidently making the very decision she had spent the past few days leading him towards. My manipulations of Golys must have had more of an effect on him than I thought, she mused. His nervousness must have had something to do with the prospect of dealing with the immediate blowback, or perhaps with the reaction of the Gam'Tuak.

"As of this moment, Felquarra claims Imperial sanctuary!" The Prime Minister boldly declared.

The look of shock on the reptilian general's face was priceless. He'd likely never heard of such a thing, and had thought that he had the Prime Minister cornered. He likely had believed that he had forced the Prime Minister to choose between abandoning any hope of an alliance with the Empire, or facing an invasion. He never seemed to have considered that any kind of deal with the Empire could be worked out, approved, and enacted within his twenty-four hour deadline. Skade stood to her feet and walked into recording range of the holoprojector, allowing the lizard man to see her. She enjoyed the small growl he released at the sight of her, and the scratching sound he made by rubbing his claws together. All were clear signs of his hatred for her and what she represented.

"And with that, Felquarra is now under the official protection of the Empire. You are currently trespassing on Imperial space. You have five minutes to vacate the system before an Imperial fleet is dispatched to counter your unprovoked act of aggression."

"Unprovoked?!" The large reptilian snarled. "You and your Empire expand your territory closer to ours further and further by the day, and you claim passivity?" His gravelly voice was brimming with barely contained rage, and his eyes glowed with hatred.

"Four minutes and fifty-three seconds." Skade said stubbornly, never taking her eyes off of his.

"This is not over!" The general bellowed, and the holofeed cut out. For a brief moment, the square was silent as everyone looked to the sky. After a tense minute of waiting, a flurry of flashing lights indicated that the enemy fleet had jumped to hyperspace, leaving the system.

The crowd erupted into cheers, as the tension that had accumulated over the past few minutes released in a moment of relieved exultation. Skade couldn't help smiling either. She'd done it. She had secured this world for her master and furthered their secret cause of building trustworthy allies in preparation for their transformation of the Empire. Of course Felquarra wasn't fully a part of the fold, but with time and effort, they would become unshakable allies for her and her master, she could just feel it.

"I've dealt with the threats and the Dread Master's technology." Nox said as he approached Lord Hargrev, who was turning from his conversation with Maiya to face the Dark Lord.

"Thank you my lord." Hargrev said, and Nox noticed his shoulders weren't as stooped as they had been, and the panic that had once lurked behind his eyes was now greatly diminished. Nox too felt as if a great weight had been lifted from him. The formerly oppressive presence of the Dread Masters that had permeated the atmosphere was much lighter, making the air seem more breathable and Oricon's gravity much weaker.

"I want you to prepare small teams to salvage some of the technology to the south," Nox added before Hargrev could continue. "It would be remiss of us to let any of the Dread Master's knowledge and skills go to waste."

Hargrev looked as if he wanted to say something, but he bit his tongue and simply nodded. "As you command my lord. It shall be done."

"By the way," Nox said, turning to Maiya, "how are preparations coming for our assault on the fortress?"

"The troops are almost ready." Maiya said, "we can secure a route to the fortress and protect your flank if you act as a vanguard." She paused. "But we still need a way through the fortress gates. According to our recon data they're built with highly dense materials, impenetrable considering our resources, or rather our lack thereof."

"Can we circumvent them?" Nox asked. "How are they controlled?"

"There's an outer watchtower with command of the gates." Hargrev said, suddenly speaking up. "It's computers are built with ancient Rakata and Sith technologies, we scanned it from orbit. I know the Dread Master's designs-if you can seize the machine core, I can extract the codes needed to attack the fortress."

"That won't be a problem." Nox said with confidence. "That core is as good as ours."

"We'll have the troops begin moving on the fortress." Maiya said. "Once you bring back the core they'll strike at your command."

"Turn your terror into hatred." Nox said. "Set your nerves of cortosis, the time for the final confrontation is drawing near, I can sense it in the Force."

"We are ready." Hargrev said, his voice filled with a conviction and savagery Nox hadn't seen in him until that very moment, and he smiled as he realized that Hargrev's old nature was beginning to show through.

"Then the Dread Masters are doomed."

Nox slipped unseen into the command center of the Dread Guard's watchtower, with HK-51 not far behind him. The infiltration of the tower had been incredibly easy, almost laughably so, despite the immense presence the Dread Host had here. The number of guards and tamed beasts accompanying them was more than enough to protect the tower from a frontal assault, but fortunately Nox's powers of mind control and stealth were more than enough to sneak him past even the most alert of their Force-sensitive overlords, who all wore double-bladed lightsabers on their hips and bore skull-like helms of Obroan design.

Ascending the ramp, Nox entered the main room of the command center, and the first thing he noticed was the computer core. It hovered above a pedestal in the center of the room, rotating and tumbling in slow motion as dark energies emanated from it like a strong smell. Two red force fields, one around the pedestal and one around the platform both pedestal and computer core sat upon, surrounded it. Looking past the hovering cube, he saw a computer terminal in a large alcove behind the pedestal and its raised dais. On either side of the terminal were droid assembly chambers, seemingly dormant.

Glancing around Nox noticed two more terminals on the other two walls, each on its own raised platform with steps leading up to it, and flanked on either side by more droid assembly chambers. He quickly surmised that the terminals were likely for accessing and deactivating the security systems protecting the core, and he knew that without the proper access codes it was likely he would trigger the alarm if he tried to turn off the security measures that were in between him and his goal. The droid assembly chambers would quickly create guards to fight him while reinforcements poured in from outside.

For a moment, Nox stood there, considering his options. When he finished his deliberations, he'd arrived at the only correct conclusion. It felt like a waste of time, but it was better than having to fight the entire tower's worth of enemies he had just sneaked past. Turning to go, he checked to make sure HK was following him, before continuing out of the command center and back onto the outside of the tower. At one point during his ascent he had reached a fork in the path, and now he knew it was likely that the being he sought was at the end of the other path. Once he acquired to codes he would have to move quickly, otherwise he would simply receive the exact result he was trying to avoid.

Reaching the fork, he scurried down the second pathway and around a corner. He passed down the long stretch until he reached an open platform overlooking the landscape to the southwest of the Dread Fortress. Standing there on the edge of the platform, leaning on the waist-high wall that bordered the space, was a humanoid dressed entirely in red and black. Nox had never seen armor quite like what the man was wearing. It seemed flexible yet solid, and he had no doubt the strangely-styled rubbery material coating the man's shirt was nearly as resistant to plasma as the large cortosis armor plates that guarded his upper arms. His pants were black with strange red veins traveling down them to his boots, which were armored and covered his shins with thick fabric that probably made them fit more comfortably. On his head he wore a familiar helm. Nox recalled seeing holo images of Darth Jadus, and remembered him wearing a helm of similar form and design. Like his armor, the helm was also red and black, but only on the front. An odd "V" shaped design stretched across its smooth, featureless face.

Nox noticed the double-bladed lightsaber on the man's waist, and he knew this was the being he sought. Based on how he was dressed differently from the other Force-sensitive commanders patrolling the tower, it was likely this man had what Nox wanted. Communicating silently with HK, Nox laid out a brief plan of attack, and when HK had taken up a suitable position, he moved in on his prey.

The Dread Guard commander sensed the attack mere moments before it came, even so, he was nearly too late. His purple-bladed saberstaff sprang into his hand and activated with a crisp, clean hum, nearly in sync with the hiss of Nox's own blade activating, and the two weapons clashed with a screech. They threw themselves into the battle, Nox using his array of Dark Side powers to harry and oppress his opponent while maintaining an impenetrable defense, while the commander mounted a formidable offense, merging Force attacks with dizzying lightsaber sequences. He threw his blade around the battlefield, telekinetically manipulating and guiding it so that it seemed to take on a life of its own. He used the Force to create a temporary vacuum around himself, creating a strong current of air that nearly dragged Nox into close quarters, before he released the vacuum and the air he had sucked in exploded outward with a loud bang, nearly knocking Nox over. As it was, the attack caught Nox by surprise. He'd never faced such an ability before. It was nowhere near deadly or threatening in itself, but the element of surprise briefly gave the commander the advantage, and he harried Nox with a blinding flurry of blows that Nox nonetheless repelled with his spinning blades.

HK-51 fired a deadly series of precision shots at the commander, forcing him to divide his attention between his two enemies to avoid being shot full of blaster holes or losing his limbs to Nox's lightsaber. Nox was careful, however, to use his mind control to keep the commander's focus and hatred purely centered on him, allowing HK to fire on the man unmolested.

The battle carried on this way for thirty seconds or so, before Nox had finally worn his enemy down enough that he made a mistake. He left himself open in between sequences, and Nox rewarded him with a burst of electricity that staggered him and left him all but defenseless against the swing from Nox's blade that severed the man's weapon arm at the elbow, leaving the limb and the weapon to clatter to the ground. The lightsaber deactivated upon impact. Crying out involuntarily, the commander attempted to unleash lightning on Nox, but the Dark Lord absorbed it with an upraised hand, turning it back on its wielder with a malicious cackle. Enveloped in his own lightning, the man screamed through gritted teeth, and when the attack ended he slumped over, clutching his charred stump of an arm.

The air shimmered, as an invisible energy field emerged from the small, round device HK had placed on the ground. The noise-dampening field generator was an essential tool in any professional assassin's kit, and HK had only top-of-the-line equipment. The device would easily mute and muffle anything less than a Nexu's roar, perfect for Nox's intentions.

"If you think that was painful," Nox said, violet-tinged lightning beginning to crackle and form balls in his hands, "Just wait till you get a taste of _mine_!" He unleashed the energy at his defeated foe and the man screamed loudly. The electric serpents snaked around his spasming, twitching form, and he collapsed onto his back, writhing in absolute agony. Nox ceased the channel and moved closer to him.

"Now, unless you want me to wear you down like this until I can reach into your shattered mind with no resistance and take what I need, I suggest you tell me what I want to know. What are the watchtower's security access codes?"

Silence.

Nox sighed. "Very well." And with a snarl of hatred, he unleashed his power on his helpless foe again, savoring his victims screams, drinking in his suffering, feeding on his pain.

Nox, armed with the knowledge of the access codes, slipped stealthily into the watchtower's command center once more. In a matter of minutes he had deactivated the force fields and alarm systems, and as he approached the core, he felt a slight uneasiness. Brushing the feeling away, he reached out to claim his prize, and immediately received a vision of the future. He could see and feel the tall man in blood red robes, wielding twin lightsabers, one purple and one red, behind him, swinging them to take off his head. Operating on instinct, he ducked and the twin sabers sailed through the empty air where his neck had been. Whirling on his foe, he drew his own weapon as a barrage of high-powered blaster bolts were unleashed from the barrel of HK's sniper rifle, forcing the robed man to bend, twist, and contort himself to dodge and deflect the shots. Nox attacked his foe with his full fury, enraged at having been deceived. He had allowed himself a moment of weakness and vulnerability, and it had nearly cost him everything.

Wielding his blades in the deadly Juyo form, while also adopting the Jar'Kai tactic, the opponent unleashed a flurry of blows upon Nox that were as alien as the strange, spiked mask he wore over his face. The unpredictability of the attacks made them exceptionally hard to defend against, and if it wasn't for Nox's advanced precognition abilities he might have lost the battle in the first few seconds. Slowly however, the assailant settled into a pattern of attack, and Nox began to see and analyze the new style, gathering the Force to his aid, summoning the Dark Side to renew the strength and energy he had so desperately expended in the first moments of the battle.

Suddenly whirling on HK, the attacker hurled both of his lightsabers on an angle perpendicular to the ground. The two whirling blades nearly sliced the assassin droid into three pieces, but the automaton's finely honed reflexes saved him. He dodged to the side while simultaneously activating his cloaking field. Nox took advantage of his opponent's distracted state to unleash a burst of electricity directly into the man's nervous system, piercing his personal shield with the bolt like an arrow sinking into flesh. Stunned by the attack, only the man's instincts and unconscious use of the Force saved him from death, as his personal shield and Force armor absorbed the incoming bolts from HK, while his survival instincts drove him to stumble away from Nox, desperately putting distance between him and his would-be killer. With outstretched hands the man recalled his weapons to his hands, and they activated with a clean hiss. Turning, he whirled them in front of him to form shields of plasma to deflect the blaster bolts from the assassin droid, who was now positioned near one of the droid assembly units.

Nox reached into the man's mind with snaky tendrils of dark thought, drawing the man's murderous attention back towards him and away from the droid that was the true threat. With a roar, the man leaped at Nox, bringing both blades crashing down on Nox's purple blade, raised in a defensive position. Only the Force kept him on his feet and prevented his own weapon from slicing through him as his opponent brought his full weight crashing down on the defensive block. With a burst of power he threw his foe off of him and unleashed the rising darkness bubbling up within him in the familiar salvo of depredating volts. Each one that slammed into the enemy's personal shield and Force armor rattled him visibly, but despite it he advanced on Nox, raising his blades to strike him down.

Finishing the attack, Nox got his blade into position in time to parry the attack and deflect the follow-up. His ire rose as his foe continued to deflect, block, absorb, and parry HK's attacks while continuing to mount his assault on Nox. This fight had gone on far longer than it should have, his foe was more formidable than he had expected, but it was time to end it.

"HK! Attack pattern C7 Aurek!"

HK-51 unleashed a storm of continuous fire while Nox erected a Force barrier to protect him from the plasma. The dual-wielding saber master stopped attacking Nox and focused entirely on defending himself from the unexpected hail of bolts. Normally such an attack pattern would have been reckless, but thanks to the hyper-precise programming of HK's assassination protocols and Nox's own Force abilities, the maneuver worked perfectly.

HK suddenly stopped his sweeping salvo mid-burst and unleashed a perfect bolt aimed directly at the robed assassin's chest. The bolt bore through shielding and Force armor, burning a hole into the man's left pectoral and short-circuiting his personal shield generator. He didn't even have time to scream, as HK was already gone, cloaking himself for the half-second that it took for him to close the distance and slam the butt of his rifle into the masked marauder's face. The man stumbled back, and HK launched an electro dart into his chest, near the smoking hole, and the man convulsed and spasmed as he tripped on the step of the computer core's platform and tumbled flat over onto to the ground. Nox approached, whirling his lightsaber above his head for a moment, before bringing it down and impaling his enemy.

Silence fell over the room, and Nox deactivated his lightsaber, while HK holstered his rifle. Nox glanced up at the computer core. It was still there, hovering, creating a soft humming noise that made the air in the chamber seem to vibrate.

Suddenly, the chamber grew darker. It was a subtle shift, one that you might not notice if you weren't paying attention, but with the darkness came that same unmistakable presence, like a smell from a childhood memory that you couldn't forget, no matter how hard you tried.

"Long ago, we learned of your abilities in the Belsavis prison." The voice of Dread Master Tyrans echoed off the walls of the chamber.

"Since then you have grown." The voice of Dread Master Calphayus said, a note of approval in his voice. "In mind and body; in skill and in spirit. A darkness roils inside you now, like the beast of entropy. Hungry, awakened after countless eons of slumber..."

"You delivered death to Lord Styrak and ripped him from our union." Dread Master Raptus accused, his voice yet laced with that insidious power that caused a twinge of guilt of wriggle its way up Nox's spine. He banished it immediately, but it persisted, rooting itself in his chest like a stubborn parasite. "You proved yourself worthy of our notice."

"But from our wound bleeds our memories; our names; our ambitions. We have tasted oblivion and it drowns us. Like you we are changing." Dread Master Bestia said.

"I believe I can help with that." Nox said. "Surrender yourselves to me, allow me to kill you and bind your spirits, your power, to myself. I will be your anchor to the physical realm and in return you will give me all your power."

"You do not comprehend." Calphayus said, his disapproval clear.

"Once we desired an empire." Dread Master Brontes explained. "Now with the death of Lord Styrak we are going mad."

Nox suddenly found himself transported into a vision. He stood in the midst of a roaring inferno, surrounding him in the flames, forming a circle, were the remaining Dread Masters.

"The wound must be healed." Calphayus stated definitively. "Our union requires a sixth-or there will be only chaos."

"You of all Sith know power and darkness and secret terror." Raptus said in a surprisingly genuine tone. "Once a slave, you became a being worthy of worship. Now you will join us... and we will feast upon each other's dreams as we grow strong together!" He finished, clenching his fist for emphasis as ambition and desire dripped from his words, inspiring a similar emotional reaction in Nox.

"If I were to accept your offer," He began, "how would we begin? How would I join your union?"

"You must first be degraded." Brontes said, adopting an arrogant pose, lording over him. "You must be humbled and humiliated, stripped of all but fear."

"You can promise power," Nox warned them. "But I will _never_ be a slave again."

The vision vanished and Nox was back in the computer core chamber.

"Even now, our ships prepare to launch and deliver our devices to other worlds-Dromund Kaas, Nar Shadda, and Coruscant." Raptus declared.

A loud noise, like the hollow beating of an ancient, propeller-using aircraft's rotors filled the room, and Nox could not suppress the sudden terror that arose in his mind. He knew that noise. It was the sound of death, the heartbeat of the void, the sound of the Reaper breathing down his neck. He didn't know how he knew this, it was instinctual, like repressed knowledge released from deep within his being. He could feel it, death was near.

"Populations will be infected, and planets overgrown." Calphayus snarled, his voice filled with hatred and malice. "Mothers shall kill daughters as soldiers weep in terror!"

"All you love and prize, will fall." Dread Master Tyrans stated, his voice betraying not hint of uncertainty of deception. "You will try to stop our ships and fail. Then-you will be ready to join us."

The noise, and the presence of death in the room vanished, as did the voices of the Dread Masters. The computer core suddenly deactivated, ceasing to glow and dropping to the pedestal like dead weight.

For a moment, Nox just stood there, thinking. He realized now that the presence of death had been an illusion of the Dread Masters, they had conjured up a shadow of his worst fears and used it to seed terror in his mind as an example of their powers, but even so it had shaken him to his very core. He had no idea why he associated that noise with death, but it had come from somewhere very, very deep inside him, from the darkest corners of his mind where his secret nightmares lurked. The terror it caused had been irresistible and had swept throughout his whole body in an instant, paralyzing him. He would swear until his dying day that at that moment he had felt a bony finger tap him on the shoulder, and felt a cold, stinking breath that chilled him to his soul on his neck. He had been absolutely terrified to turn around, knowing that if he did he would have been staring into the black, empty eye sockets of a face that his own helm, he now realized, was a crude mockery of.

But that feeling was gone now, and he was a Dark Lord of the Sith. He would not bow down and submit, not to the Dread Masters, not to the Emperor, not even to Death itself. He would master death, he would enslave it to _his_ will. The Dread Masters were merely another obstacle in his path.

As he reached for the inactive computer core, Nox turned his fear into hatred, and as he felt the darkness answer his summons he smiled. The door was open, and step by step he was walking over the threshold.

The skies over Damerok were awash with the colored streaks of plasma bolts from the two fleets battling in orbit. The Damerokian defense fleet was small but determined, and no quarter was given or taken. Anti-orbital weaponry fired on Raze's ships from the surface, inflicting significant damage but not enough to turn the tide. Through the chaos flew Raze's personal shuttle, dodging and weaving through defense formations and debris fields left by destroyed vessels. Upon the arrival of Raze's fleet in orbit, Damerok had recalled every single one of its ships in the system, and was desperately trying to draw out the battle into a siege, so that Republic reinforcements would have time to arrive, if they ever did.

But if Raze succeeded in his mission, not even the Republic could get here in time. It would take several days for a sizable enough fleet to be assembled and dispatched to Damerok, and he was confident that by that time the treaty would have already been signed, making Damerok officially Imperial territory. Momentarily distracted by a squad of fighters that nearly collided with him, he failed to evade a strafe from one of the enemy ships and was hit. The shuttle bucked and shook as the cloaking device shorted out. Cursing, Raze was forced to immediately dodge a follow-up strafe launched by the fighters who had just passed him. Seeing him appear suddenly on their scanners, they had done a prompt about-face and were now bearing down on him, eager to blast him out of the sky.

Raze took evasive action, using the debris as cover for his escape and purposefully flying through hot zones in an attempt to lose his pursuers. He managed to lose three of them by the time he emerged from the other side of the battle an entered the atmosphere, but two of the determined pilots were still hot on his trail. Launching a compliment of missiles, Raze grunted in approval as two of the projectiles caught out one of the pilots and destroyed his vehicle mere seconds before he ejected. Suddenly a lucky series of shots by the final pilot hit his engine and left stabilizer. The engine was still working, but barely, and the destroyed stabilizer made steady flying impossible. Realizing the shuttle was going to crash just as he broke through the clouds over Seelar, Damerok's capital city, Raze aimed the shuttle for an industrial sector and unfastened his harness, rushing to the back of the shuttle to make his timely escape.

With a Force push, he blew out the docking ramp and leaped out, landing on a rooftop and turning to watch his shuttle crash into a power plant, exploding in a spectacular fireball. Hearing the distant whine of another aircraft, he turned to see the fighter that had been chasing him. Concentrating, he reached out with the Force and seized the fighter in his telekinetic grip. The pilot struggled to break out of the hold by attempting to swing the fighter violently from side to side, but Raze's grip was like iron, and he drove the fighter directly into the inferno that had replaced the power plant. The explosion that followed was all he needed to confirm his enemy's death.

Turning dismissively away from destruction he'd left in his wake, he decided it was time for an audience with the king.

Hydrax walked briskly down the hallway towards the throne room, swinging open the massive double doors and entering the chamber. He continued to walk towards the throne as he spoke.

"Your majesty, we need to leave."

King Lareesh looked up in surprise and stood to his feet, shock and anger beginning to show on his countenance.

"Hydrax, what is the meaning of this?" Reaching the foot of the dias leading up to the throne, Hydrax stopped.

"They've sent someone after you. We need to move you to a safer location, now."

The king sniffed. "So let them come. That's what my guards and you are here for, to protect me."

"None of us can protect you from a Sith, my liege." Hydrax said pointedly.

"Sith?" The king looked visibly shaken. "They sent a Sith?"

"Yes, that's exactly why we need to move you out of reach."

Lareesh appeared to consider the situation for a moment before finally answering.

"Alright," he said suddenly, turning to the two guards stationed on either side of the throne. "Jenkins, Argyle, you're coming with us." Hydrax shook his head.

"They'd only slow us down m'lord."

"They're coming with us and that's final." The king declared, challenging Hydrax to disagree. He didn't.

Raze slipped like a phantom through the halls of the royal palace. Armed guards were everywhere, but with Raze's Force cloak shrouding his form and silencing his movements, he was like a small breeze, weaving and winding his invisible way through the morass of the king's protectors. Some protectors they are, Raze thought. An intruder is right within their midst and they don't even know. Then again, what was the loyalty and vigilance of mortal men compared to the power of the Force?

Eventually Raze successfully navigated his way to the throne room, and it was then he discovered he had a problem. There was an entire platoon of armed guards keeping watch over the huge double doors, he couldn't open them without informing the guards of his presence, and subsequently setting off the alarm. Moving quickly, he scoured the surrounding area looking for anything that he could use. In a few minutes, he found it. A ventilation duct that seemed to run directly towards the throne room, and it was just large enough for him to fit into.

"Herein lies the problem with having large ventilation ducts." Raze mumbled to himself, as he pried the grill off of the opening. Looking inside, he discovered that the duct was actually riddled with security devices. Pressure sensors, motion detectors, microscopic cameras, and immediately he regretted his hubris. Reaching out with the Force, he dazzled the first security cam, freezing the image of an empty duct, and clambered in. Using the Force, he levitated the grill off of the floor of the room he had just left and brought it back into place, then turned his attention back towards the task ahead of him.

Many agonizing minutes later, Raze kicked out the grill of the ceiling mounted ventilation shaft and dropped to the floor of the throne room, instinctively reaching for his lightsaber as soon as his feet hit the ground. To his surprise, he found the throne room completely empty. Had they known he was coming? No, if they had discovered his presence in the duct he would have been surrounded by guards right now, there was some other explanation.

Settling himself on the throne room floor, Raze sat in a cross-legged meditation pose and surrendered his thoughts to the Force. He could feel the ebb and flow of its currents around him, and as he focused, he saw back in time to the King's hurried departure. The bounty hunter, the one called Hydrax, had intervened, escorting the King out of the throne room and likely out of the palace. There had only been a few minutes since the event, he could still catch them if he hurried.

Rising from his spot on the floor, Raze dashed to the door near the throne that his quarry had exited by, throwing his Force cloak around himself as he flung it open and ran down the hall beyond.

Hydrax lead the group through the palace at an urgent pace, avoiding main thoroughfares and sticking to the winding and complex back corridors. They passed several patrols which often stared at the sight of the King skulking about the palace with such a heavily armed escort. Eventually they reached the lower levels and the corridors became more run down and in need of care. Hydrax lead them to a door that looked as old as the palace itself and quickly picked it with an extendible tool that sprouted from the fingertip of his gauntlet.

"This way your majesty."

"Where are we going? What's down there?"

"This is a network of caverns meant to be used as a hideout or means of escape." The massive bounty hunter said. "It's the only way to get you out of the palace safely."

"How did you even know this existed?" King Lareesh asked worriedly. "No-one outside of the royal family and the elite guard is supposed to know about it."

"I always do my research." Hydrax replied. "Now are we leaving or would you rather stay and find out what the Sith has planned for you?" After a moment of indecision, the King entered the dark passageway beyond the threshold, and his two guards followed, with Hydrax bringing up the rear and locking the door behind them.

They descended down a long flight of stone steps until they reached a carved cave tunnel at the bottom, following it they passed through several forks with the King leading the way. Eventually they reached a large, open cavern with five other tunnels leading off of it.

"Now, if I remember correctly," the King mused, "the second tunnel from the middle is-" he was cut off my the sound of a heavy blaster belching twin bolts of plasma into the backs of the two guards, Jenkins and Argyle. He whirled to see Hydrax holding his huge blaster, its barrel still smoking a little.

"You traitorous scum!"

"I tried to convince you to come alone." Hydrax said, his voice never wavering, much like his blaster, which was aimed squarely at King Lareesh's forehead. "But you insisted they come with us. Their fates were sealed in that moment, you killed them, not me."

"You have the gall?!" The King spouted furiously, seeming to forget that Hydrax was holding an enormous blaster on him. "You just shot them dead in the back and you accuse me of killing them?"

"They wouldn't have had to die if they weren't here." Hydrax pointed out. "No one had to die because of this, but you made that impossible. Now shut your mouth before I decide this gamble isn't worth the risk and just shoot you."

The king seemed like he was about to say something, but reason caused him to bite back whatever he was about to say. Hydrax used his voice activated comlink to open a channel.

"Greetings, my lord." Came an unfamiliar voice over Raze's com. The sound caused him to stop dead in his tracks.

"I know you're here, in the palace. Don't worry, I'm not going to out you to the royal guards. Instead, I want to make you an offer."

"Who is this?" Raze demanded, finally finding his voice after the shock of realizing his personal comm channel had been sliced.

"Hydrax the Relentless, my lord." Came the gravelly voice again. "I'm sure you've heard of me. The Mandolorians tell stories about me, or so I hear."

"How did you get into this channel?" Raze demanded. There was a sound that might have been a sigh on the other end, then Hydrax spoke again.

"I've got a friend back on my ship, one of the best slicers in the quadrant, don't blame your personnel, they didn't have a chance at keeping him out."

"Speak your offer." Raze replied.

"Well, let me put it this way," the sound of a blaster being cocked could be heard on the other end of the line. "What's this world worth to ya?"

Then Raze realized what was happening. Hydrax, for reasons unknown, had decided that protecting King Lareesh was no longer as profitable a venture as it might have seemed. He had correctly deduced that facing off against Raze would likely put him six feet under, and had instead decided to sell out a world to save his own skin, and make a friend in the Sith Empire. Raze wasn't a haggling man, but even if he had been he would have been in no mood to haggle. He had to make an offer good enough that Hydrax would accept without a second thought, otherwise the hunter might opt to simply kill the king and vanish. Raze mentally reviewed his stipend and resources, calculating how much he could afford to offer.

"Three million credits." He finally said. "Paid upon safe delivery of one living King Lareesh to my flagship in orbit."

"You're straight to business," Hydrax remarked. "I like that. I have a feeling this relationship is going to be very profitable, for both of us." The comm channel cut out.

"Alright your majesty," Hydrax said, waving his gun in the direction of the second tunnel from the middle. "what was that you said about the way out?"

Two hours later, Raze, escorted by Commander Harkanous, approached Hydrax's ship, _the Spinax_ , as the boarding ramp extended to allow the bounty hunter, still holding his captive at gunpoint, to descend into the hanger bay. When they reached the bottom of the ramp, Harkanous stepped up and slapped stun cuffs on King Lareesh.

"Your accommodations are this way, your majesty." He said with just a hint of a sneer, eliciting a chuckle from the honor guard of Imperial soldiers. He took the king away, while Hydrax holstered his weapon and turned to Raze.

"And my payment?"

Raze wordlessly took out a datapad and pressed a few buttons on the touch screen. Hydrax immediately received a notification on his wrist computer, and when he checked it, he actually chuckled to himself.

"Not bad for a day's work."

"There is much more where that came from." Raze replied. "I have need of someone with your skills, if you are so inclined to offer them."

Hydrax entered something into his wrist computer and a message appeared in Raze's inbox.

"That contains my contact information, as well as protocol for contacting me in an emergency." Hydrax said. "I don't give out that info lightly, only to my best customers." Raze smiled.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Hydrax."

"My lord, one of your acolytes has gone mad." Maiya said hesitantly to Lord Hargrev. "Your protection may be...wanting."

"I am concentrating! I'm trying to focus-" He turned at the sound of Nox's approaching footsteps. "What?!"

Nox nearly electrocuted him for the disrespectful, rebellious tone in his voice, but recognizing that wouldn't help anyone he gritted his teeth and stayed his hand.

"We don't have much time." He insisted. "I've recovered the computer core but the Dread Masters are launching an attack on the Empire."

Hargrev whirled around and slammed his fist on the screen of the portable console behind him. "Blast it all!"

"That explains the signals we're picking up," Maiya said, glancing at the now cracked screen. "hyperdrives coming online in the Dread Fortresses outer courtyard."

"Get the gate codes off the computer core, we're invading the fortress next." Nox ordered.

"Yes, of course." Hargrev said. "But please-do not let the Dread Master's ships reach our worlds." Hargrev begged. "What they would do is...unthinkable."

Nox suddenly felt every alarm in his brain go off, he heard that terrible sound again, accompanied by a deep rumbling and the same two familiar presences; that of the Dread Masters, and that of Death.

"Hurry as you wish," the voice of Dread Master Tyrans boomed. "but you will watch your planets burn."

Swiftly and silently, Nox and HK moved through the Dread Fortress's heavily guarded outer courtyard. The layout was seemingly designed to confuse, with countless walls separating the wide open space into loosely connected sections with each one usually dominated by one or several of a large takeoff platform upon each of which an imperial-style red shuttle sat, being prepped for launch and guarded by entire platoons of the elite Dread Guard.

Slipping through a large group of the aforementioned guard, Nox descended a small flight of stone steps into a much larger section than the one he had just left. The first thing he noticed was the three shuttles on raised platforms, with guards and pilots milling about them, and perched on a raised section beyond, overseeing it all, was a blue-skinned female Twi'lek. She paced back and forth anxiously, her lekku tips flicking and twitching with stress. She was dressed in a form-fitting jumpsuit with no stomach, and in her hand she clutched a double-bladed lightsaber. She was obviously the commander overseeing this section, and Nox realized that he would have to take her out first so she couldn't stop him from sabotaging these shuttles.

Signaling to HK, he sent the droid off to take up a position atop one of the shuttles and prepare for the fight, Nox prepared by projecting an aura of distraction and absentmindedness as he moved through the assembled troops. It was a variation of several mind control techniques that allowed him to briefly muffle all external stimuli outside of ten meters from the affected. Despite the distant sounds of battle one hundred, fifty, or even twenty meters away, the soldiers would remain distracted and distant, each of their senses temporarily afflicted with its own equivalent of near-sightedness. The effect was only temporary and would wear off in a few minutes, which was why Nox had to move quickly. If the affect wore off while he was still battling the commander, he might suddenly find himself swarmed by near endless waves of Dread Guard, and without the godlike might the Ritual of Power Transfer afforded him, he would be vulnerable and exposed.

Reaching the steps up to the commander's platform, he placed the numbing daze on the nearby guards and moved in on the commander, sinking deeper into the Dark Side even as he summoned it to prepare for battle. The Twi'lek, despite her paranoia, never saw him coming until it was almost too late.

She barely dodged Nox's attempt to skewer her through her exposed stomach, but quickly recovered, bringing her own double-bladed weapon to bear against her attacker. Nox immediately erected his signature impenetrable defense and unleashed the full oppressive power of his dark Force presence on her, perfectly blending his use of the Force with lightsaber techniques to make himself invulnerable. He unleashed bursts of lightning and dark energy in jolting staccato rhythms that culminated in the familiar salvo of depredating volts. She responded with dexterity and grace, artfully dodging his attacks or blocking them with either her lightsaber or the Force. She was surprisingly skilled at creating and exploiting holes in his defenses. Her lightning fast Ataru strikes quickly began to wear Nox down, and the holes she created in his defenses with double and triple feints grew larger and larger by the second. Still, her progress was frustratingly slow. It seemed she was used to most opponents having collapsed by now, and it was only ten seconds into their duel. Her speed and reflexes increased, the frequency of her attacks multiplying exponentially as she dipped into her deepest energy reserves. Nox was now focused solely on defense, utilizing the Force to harry and slow her reactions while using his weapon to parry, deflect, or block her attacks with insane speed and accuracy.

Growing desperate, his opponent dug down deep, and summoned the very last of her reserves in an effort to end him before she exhausted herself, but it was already too late. Nox felt her willpower break under the effect of his stifling presence and saw her focus completely shift to ending him. She was vulnerable. For a split second he shifted his focus, reaching out with the Force across the courtyard, causing a small piece of broken metal sitting atop the shuttle upon which HK-51 was perched to lift up and clatter back down. A millisecond later, almost in the same instant, the shot HK had been charging was launched from the barrel, burning through the air with a speed that seemed supernatural, burying itself in between the Twi'lek's exposed shoulders, punching through her drained personal shields and Force armor like it didn't even exist. The Twi'lek went rigid, standing perfectly frozen for one breathless moment, then collapsed to the ground like a sack of meat.

Sheathing his lightsaber, Nox cloaked himself in the Force and moved towards the now also cloaked HK, who leaped from the top of the shuttle and activated a detonator moments after landing. All the shuttles in the area exploded into roiling balls of flame, and immediately every guard in the vicinity whirled to gaze at the sudden spectacle, the spell Nox had placed over them shattered. Smiling to himself, Nox met HK in an unoccupied corner of the courtyard.

"Can you finish things here?" He asked the droid in a low voice.

"Affirmation:" HK whispered. "Absolutely master! Clarification: would you prefer I enact chaos, genocide, or infiltrator protocol?"

"Chaos." Nox responded. "The confusion will assist me in accomplishing the rest of my mission."

"Recommendation: I suggest you eliminate all your targets with extreme prejudice master."

"Thank you HK, I will do just that."

Nox approached the bare-chested, dual-wielding Dread Guard commander at a hurried but measured pace. Khem Val was standing hunched over right beside the tall human, cloaked in the Dark Side as Nox was, waiting for the signal to strike. After casting the perception-muting spell on the last and nearest group of guards, Nox took up a strategically hidden position by an obelisk and flashed Khem a hand signal. The Dashade dropped his cloak, raising his blade to strike down his surprised next meal. The marauder blocked the monster's vibroblades with crossed lightsabers and threw off the crushing attack with surprising strength. He ferociously attacked Khem, utilizing the Ataru form with much the same mastery as his Twi'lek comrade.

Khem, to his credit, stood his ground, but he was not as skilled as his opponent, and his personal shield and body both took consistent damage from his opponents hundreds of stabbing, thrusting, and sweeping attacks. Nox kept himself busy by keeping a steady stream of Force corruption flowing into the Dashade, healing his wounds almost as fast as they formed and lessening the physical damage by maintaining a shell of Force energy around his Shadow Killer that acted as a second layer of energy-based defense. Nox could sense Khem employing his dreaded ability to consume the Force energy of his prey, and he could feel the commander's growing fear, which he was directly converting into rage. It became a contest of which would win out in the end, Khem's ability to devour Force energy, or the commander's ability to create more through his fear and anger.

Suddenly, the commander pierced Khem's blade defenses with a sweeping and dizzying array of attacks. His lightsabers ravaged and then broke his enemy's shields and struck flesh. Khem let loose a low bellow of pain, and Nox was grateful that he had made sure the Dashade had placed a noise-dampening field generator nearby, otherwise the sound might have broken the tenuous hold Nox's spell held over the nearby guards. Horrible scorch marks on Khem's chest and shoulders smoked and crackled as the enraged beast responded to his attacker's brutality with some of his own. His Force-consuming abilities amplified by his hatred, the beast began to suck the very life essence out of his foe, even as he brutalized his defenses with his blade.

Nox reached deep into the dark well in the core of his being and summoned dark, swirling energies that gathered in a writhing ball in his hands, focusing the darkness, he then unleashed it into Khem's ether body, accelerating the monster's own cell regeneration to biologically impossible rates. The grievous wounds began to heal before the commander's very eyes, and with disappointment, Nox realized what was going to happen next. The commander reached out with the Force, summoning a swirling, localized tempest that kept Khem trapped in a tiny vortex of wind and power. Turning and locking on to Nox with surprising efficiency, the commander leaped off of the balcony and came crashing down on Nox's raised Force barrier. The man continued to savagely beat on the somewhat opaque force field, but a continuous flow of dark energy from Nox's raised hands to the inside of the barrier kept it stable and unbreakable.

For about ten seconds the bare-chested human threw himself against the unyielding wall of Nox's will again and again, until the whirlwind occupying Khem faded and dispersed, and the raging monster sent his own massive bulk hurtling through the air, coming crashing down on the man, nearly catching him off guard. The commander continued to try and break Nox's barrier, even as Khem drained his Force energy and attacked him with all the strength he could muster. Nox actually laughed at the man's sheer desperation, and ceased to channel the barrier, taunting his enemy. The marauder went berserk, striking savagely and with little thought, sparing only some of his energy for defending himself from Khem's most damaging or fatal blows. When he saw the barrier beginning to weaken and waver, his desperation blossomed into triumphant determination, and he began utilizing positioning, footwork, and artful dodging to avoid Khem's attacks, saving all his offensive energy for attacking Nox.

"Pathetic!" Nox spat, stretching out his hand just as the Force barrier collapsed. A bolt of lightning spiraled down his arm and unleashed itself from his fingertips in a split second. It pierced his enemy's Force defenses and shocked him out of his berserker rage, causing him to briefly lose his coordination and dexterity, allowing Khem to slice off one of his arms with an opportunistic strike. The human howled in pain, and Khem moved in, slicing off the commander's other arm at the elbow, both stumps now bleeding freely. The Shadow Killer reached out with one, three-taloned claw and seized the agonized man around the neck, raising him high up off the ground so that his booted feet kicked helplessly at Khem's armored knees. As Khem choked the defenseless human, he opened his mouth and white tendrils of energy began to drift out of the human's skin, falling into Khem's gaping, lamprey maw like energy being sucked into a black hole. Nox savored the man's death through the Force as Khem slowly, agonizingly devoured his soul, piece by piece. To the victim, it felt like he was being eaten alive but on an entirely different level, the agony was transcendent rather than carnal, meaning there was no hope of even the sweet mercy of unconsciousness. He would experience the entire event in all its terror and suffering. His last moments were a literal hell.

Khem finally dropped the empty corpse to the ground, and turned to his master.

"Dushaneey wauss, Ominei demou shulna apybaun."

"I enjoyed it too, think nothing of it." Nox said, the tone of his voice reminiscent of a man who had just had a particularly satisfying sexual encounter. A light haze covered his thoughts like newly fallen snow, and he felt satiated in a way he couldn't quite describe, despite it being familiar to him. Ever since meeting Khem all those years ago, he had found that empathically experiencing the devouring of his enemies' souls at the hands of his morose monster to be an immensely satisfying experience that easily rivaled the decadent pleasures that many Sith, including himself, indulged in. It always struck him as a perverse miracle, and more than once he wondered if the pleasure that Khem inadvertently brought him through simply doing what nature had decreed his species must do to survive was clouding his judgment regarding the Shadow Killer, in much the same way that his childish crush on his master, Darth Zash, had nearly blinded him to her treachery.

"Deshalii sabuun ominei mau duusc." Khem said. "Shalrey teemun sulii meenau voos."

"Just finish up here," Nox said glancing around to see the first signs that the spell was starting to wear off. "You know what to do, stay hidden and use the chaos to your advantage. When you're done meet me in the main thoroughfare of the fortress for your next orders."

"Saibuna tuminay sumak cheiss." Khem affirmed, before raising his Force cloak and vanishing to do his master's will. Nox too, cloaked himself in the Dark Side and departed to accomplish the final part of his mission, which would drive the final stake through the heart of the Dread Master's plans.

When Nox arrived in the main thoroughfare, he was not surprised to see entire squads of Imperial troops battling the two remaining Force sensitive commanders of the launch. The short, squat commander in arcane robes with a strange helmet was pummeling men to death with pieces of the fortress itself ripped from the walls and ground and levitated by his telekinetic power, while his tall, battle-armored companion was alternating between masterful use of Shien to combat the ranged troops and Djem So to beat down the vibroblade-wielding soldiers. Still under cloak, Nox observed the large number of dead bodies in the area, most of them Dread Guard. It seemed the invasion force sent to hold his route out of the fortress had seen great success, until they encountered these two.

Turning his attention back to the two Force users making a mess of his men, Nox dropped his cloak and unfurled the full weight of his dark presence, simultaneously alerting both the enemy commanders and his men to his presence on the battlefield. The men couldn't help but cheer and roar with triumphant battle lust as they felt his power flow into them, bolstering their reflexes, strength, resolve, and morale. Nox's eyes glowed purple, the one-way lenses of his helm failing to hide his power. A visible aura of dark Force energy surrounded him, and five orbs of dark energy could be seen orbiting him like satellites.

Drawing his lightsaber, Nox activated it, waiting for the enemy to make their move. He didn't have to wait long. One of the fools, the helmeted one, tried to pick up Nox telekinetically and toss him around like a toy, only to find that he couldn't even budge him. So instead, he turned and gestured towards a small group of soldiers, levitating them off the ground and pinning them in midair, helpless. He then turned back to Nox just as his companion charged the Dark Lord with a Force-imbued leap.

Nox could sense that both of his foes were strong willed, the truth of it proven by the fact that they continued to fight even after his appearance on the battlefield. Now they weren't just outnumbered but outgunned, yet still they fought on, their conviction like durasteel in their veins. Still, Nox could also sense that conviction, and their willpower, wavering under the oppressive weight of his dark power, and the renewed ferocity of the soldiers they had believed to merely be target practice. It wouldn't be long before they both lay broken and defeated at his feet.

The tall, armored brute was a skilled Djem So duelist, and he put his skills to work trying to bully Nox into retreat, while the helmeted kinetic tried to keep the soldiers busy while also unleashing barrage after barrage of debris at Nox. Nox felt several shots of kolto beams strike him on the flanks, and he spared a moment to realize that the squad medics had taken up support positions around him and were channeling their kolto shots at him, recognizing his life as the key to their victory. Encouraged by their loyalty, Nox reached out with the Force, planting the seeds of hatred and rage in the kinetic commander's mind, easily slipping past the man's wavering mental defenses.

Possessed of a sudden rage, the robed man stopped focusing on the soldiers and turned his wrath entirely on Nox. He unleashed thick streams of Force lightning at him, which strained Nox's Force armor and personal shields, but shots of Kolto from the imperial medics kept Nox's energy reserves high, while his foe's power and resolve continued to wane under the relentless assault of the troopers. The duelist commander ran through a staggering variation of sequences and angles of attack with limited success. He could occasionally create and exploit holes in Nox's defenses, but Nox was always carefully limiting the amount of damage he could do by balancing his Force and lightsaber defenses so that they complimented each other, even while he battered and weakened his opponent with both his martial skills and the Force. At the peak of the battle, Nox truly was like a Rancor, equal parts an unstoppable force and an immovable mountain. He crushed and brutalized his two foes with his overwhelming power and unrivalled skill, while also simply taking their strongest attacks in stride and continuing to beat them into submission.

Eventually, a dark shadow emerged from thin air and nearly managed to sever the armored man's head with its massive vibroblade. The armored man whirled just in time for his blade to catch the assailant's blow and parry it, but now he found himself facing off against a terrifying-looking monster that was easily as big as he was, and seemed equally skilled in his own form. The kinetic soon found himself under fire from atop a pedestal midway down the long thoroughfare, as blaster bolts were launched with inhuman accuracy and frequency across what was likely over sixty meters distance. The kinetic raised an impenetrable Force Barrier much like Nox's own, channeling dark energy to constantly reinforce it underneath the constant and overwhelming barrage of fire from both the soldiers and the distant sniper. The duelist was so focused on his battle with the Dashade and deflecting incoming fire that he seemed to have completely forgotten about Nox.

Moving to a spot directly in the middle of his two enemies, Nox began to draw on all the power that he could, summoning it from deep within the dark well at his core. He could feel his hatred and anger rising, increasing his power exponentially, and he let it consume him. Unleashing a roar of triumph, he reached out his hands and threw his head back, yanking his two enemies from their positions with the Force and depositing them only a few meters away from him. Almost instantly, the power he had summoned unleashed itself in a spectacular explosion of dark energy, it swept over his disoriented opponents, knocking them prone. Immediately following the explosion, a lightning storm about fifteen meters across appeared out of thin air, summoned by the Dark Lord's own power. Appearing out of thin air a few meters above the ground, the vulnerable Dread Guard commanders were caught in the unnatural maelstrom and were left writhing and convulsing on the ground as Nox poured out his wrath.

Nox laughed, a joyfully maniacal and unhinged sound. He laughed as the power filled him to overflowing and his entire being felt hyper-energized by the sheer volume of energy passing through him and exploding out into the material world in a storm of fury. He laughed as he drank in the suffering and agony of his dying, despairing foes, and he laughed as the orgasm of destruction and suffering reached its transcendent peak.

When the last burst of power left his body, he fell to the ground and collapsed onto his hands and knees. It was then he realized he had been hovering several feet above the ground and he hadn't even noticed. The energy storm had taken all of his remaining power to summon, but it had done the job spectacularly, and while his power was now exhausted, that was merely a drop in the bucket compared to what he could summon when the time to face the Dread Masters finally came. As he got to his feet her realized that all the imperial soldiers were staring at him. Some in shock and awe, and others in terror.

"Well? Get to your posts men! I need this thoroughfare kept clear of scum for when I return!" He barked.

As if jolted from a daze, the soldiers rushed off to take positions along the boulevard that lead to the gates of the Dread Fortress, and Nox turned to begin making his way up the distant, massive set of steps that lead up to those gates, which were now open and waiting, courtesy of Hargrev and Maiya successfully slicing the stolen computer core.

That horrible, chillingly familiar noise suddenly came from behind him, and Nox once more felt the cold breath of the void on the back of his neck. Temporarily paralyzed with terror, he felt another familiar presence wash over him, and the ground trembled violently, as if seized by terror as well. The golden mask of Dread Master Tyrans appeared before him, and a ring of fire sprung out of nowhere, surrounding him completely and bringing with it an oppressive heat that provided a startling contrast to the abyssal chill sweeping over Nox's petrified body.

"Not enough." Dread Master Tyrans booming voice echoed in Nox's head as the dark and shadowy forms of the other Dread Masters stepped out from behind him while he unleashed a wave of dark energy and madness that slammed into Nox's mind with the force of a starship, actually making him stumble back a few steps as his hands instinctively flew to his head. The attack didn't pierce his mental defenses, but the same was apparently not true for everyone else. The entire legion of soldiers clutched madly at their heads, some rolling around on the ground screaming in pain, while others unleashed the tortured howls of beasts and madmen as images, false memories, and terrifying delusions instantly crushed their spirits and broke their wills. Even Khem Val seemed dazed and out of it, staring off into space for a few seconds before shaking his head as if to clear the cobwebs in his brain, only to stare off into space again.

Surveying how easily the Dread Masters had crushed the minds of his troops, Nox decided his initial plan was the best option, whatever the Dread Masters had planned for him, he would face it alone. Turning back to the Dread Masters, he was hit in the face with Raptus's shocked and angry accusation.

"You dared to stop our launch! For every Dread Guard killed we will destroy one of your soldiers."

"Unless..." Dread Master Brontes said with her signature haughtiness, "you wish to bargain."

"Tell us a secret," Dread Master Bestia said, her tone that of a traitorous lover trying to pry information from her beloved's lips. "tell us what you fear and we will spare your servants."

"Stop it!" Nox demanded. "You want to know something I'm afraid of, I'll tell you!"

"Speak!" Raptus commanded, pointing at Nox. "Name your fear!"

"I've been a slave, an apprentice, and a collector of dark spirits." Nox said, barely suppressing the emotion in his voice as he worked himself up to speaking his worst fear aloud. "I have claimed power from nothing and conquered the Force itself, yet Death still pursues me. It haunts my dreams and stalks my every waking moment. It plagues me night and day and takes a thousand different forms to try and catch me unawares. It comes as my enemy, my ally, my servant, and my master. What I fear most, is that one day it will come, and I will be caught unprepared."

A low chuckle came from Raptus, but rather than him it was Dread Master Brontes who spoke next.

"Let that thought suffuse you."

All the Dread Masters raised their hands towards him and swirling vortexes of red and black energy swirled around their wrists. Nox heard that same hollow, rapid beating sound behind him, as if the spectre of death was drawing closer, until it was right behind him. Despite the heat of the flames, Nox felt as cold as if he were in the deepest depths of void, he couldn't feel the heat at all and darkness began to drown his vision. In pure panic, he thought he was going to die, right here, right now. He couldn't stop a stifled cry of protest from escaping his lips, and with that the experience ended.

"Enough humiliation." Dread Master Bestia said. "You will join us soon."

With a swirling of dark energy and a flash of light, the specters of the Dread Masters vanished, leaving Nox standing alone. Behind him, the soldiers began to come to their senses, and Nox turned to them.

"This will all be over soon," he promised. "All I need from you, is to keep this passage open. Once I return with the Dread Masters heads, we can all go home."

There was no verbal reply from the men and women before him. They were too shaken and stunned to process what he had said right now.

"Khem," Nox said, turning to the now fully alert Dashade. "I want you and HK to assist these troops in defending this avenue of escape, lead them in battle if you have to, but do not let this position fall to the enemy."

"Dashade nou weizu." Khem said. The response translated to: "I will not fail." although the use of the species name, rather than his own name or the Dashade's word for "I" carried a sense of racial honor. If Khem failed to deliver his oath, Nox had permission to dishonor all other Dashade's in his place. It was an oath not ever used lightly, and was typically used when the one swearing it did not expect to survive.

"Then do your people, and mistress Death, proud Khem Val." Nox exhorted him. "Die with honor."

"Mortei nu halabas." Khem repeated in his own language.

Leaving the Dashade, Nox turned and began ascending the massive flight of stone steps leading up to the gates. When he reached the open gateway, he kneeled down and began to focus. He felt the dark minds of his children come alive at his telepathic touch, and each mind responded in one way or another. Some with acceptance, others with requests to wait. As he waited for the remaining children to create alibis for the event that was about to occur, Nox drew power from the ones who were ready. As the dark tide of energy rushed into him, filling his being, he experienced the welcome ecstasy that always accompanied this rush of unfathomable power. The darkness inside his soul grew and multiplied, and a palpable, visible aura of darkness and power swirled around him, making him the nexus of a vergence in the Force. Then, as each child signaled their readiness, he drew the final bouts of power from them, and when the last drop of it entered his being, he once more saw the door, flung wide open with the power of the abyss flowing freely out. The darkness rushed over him like a tsunami, thousands of whispers filled his ears and he felt dozens of unfamiliar limbs comprised of ethereal matter with non-Euclidean geometry curl around him. He felt the darkness swallow him up, but he was not dissolved, instead he became the darkness, one with it, bound to it. He was its embodiment, its chosen avatar through which it could interact with existence. He felt the power of a god flowing through his veins.

Standing to his feet, Darth Nox strode through the gates of the Dread Fortress, the very embodiment of the Dark Side, and across the galaxy, all who were exceptionally strong in the Force raised their heads, as a great shift, one the likes of which would not be felt for another three thousand years, rocked the galaxy.

A silence as deep and dark as the shadows filling the massive, spherical chamber hung stagnant in the air. The smell of death, rot, and stale air filled the space, even though all organic beings in the room were technically alive. Seated on their ascended thrones sprouting like insidious plants from the room's central platform, the five Dread Masters watched in mute fascination as the vortex of Force energy that Nox had become entered the gates of their fortress. The voice of Dread Master Tyrans broke the deathly silence.

"We expected this, and yet he exceeds our expectations."

"We were foolish to discount him on Belsavis." Bestia said with a level of admiration in her voice. "We haven't seen this level of ambitious competence since Darth Revan, or perhaps the Emperor himself."

"His power is formidable," Raptus said, voicing what they were all thinking. "He has reached a level closer to us than anyone in our lifetime, left to his own devices he might well exceed us."

"Then let us harness him," Calphayus suggested. "latch onto him like Suulwari leeches and ensure that power is shared among us, instead of focused in a singular vessel."

"There is no alternative." Brontes affirmed. "Without a sixth we will inevitably lose our hold on sanity and surrender to the void, and he is the most suitable candidate who just so happens to be delivering himself right into our hands."

"The promise of greater knowledge and power is more than ample bait." Raptus added. "As powerful as he is we possess secrets and knowledge that would allow him to refine that power and put it to proper use. He will come to us, he will face our trials."

"And should he prove to be worthy," Tyrans continued, "We will have a more than suitable replacement for Styrak."

"Who will oversee the first trial?" Raptus said. "And what should that trial be?"

Brontes rose to her feet. "Now that we see his true power, I think we would be remiss not to test it. The first trial should be trial by combat."

"And you intend to carry it out?" Raptus asked rhetorically.

"Of course," Brontes said, as six golden tentacles, forged of the same material as the crown-like crest atop her head, slithered out from behind her back, twitching and turning their tips like the heads of strange mechanical serpents. "I have the matter well in hand."

Nox strode confidently down the avenue leading from the outer gate deeper into the fortress. As he walked he tuned his comlink into the Dread Host frequency, and was immediately blasted in his ear by a harsh, commanding voice.

"This is Gate Commander Draxus, the intruder has breached the outer gate and is approaching the Gatekeeper, all forces on alert!"

They have a gate commander, Nox realized. Another obstacle he would likely have to remove. As he began to draw near to the walled courtyard at the other end of the boulevard, his eyes and Force sense suddenly picked up some aberrations just inside. Through the Force, the beings looked like shimmering, multi-colored gems of Force energy with an unmistakable dark taint. From what Nox could see of their physical forms, it became clear that these beasts were not products of natural evolution, possibly not even native to this universe.

Most of them were large humanoids covered in black armor which had lustrous, opaque red orbs embedded in places like the chest plate and shoulder plates. They all had hairless skin as black as their armor stretched over tight, thick muscles. Some of them were top-heavy armored cyborgs that were easily ten feet tall and walked on four-taloned feet set in a cross formation with a sole tentacle replacing each of their arms. Others resembled armored quadrupeds that had been forced to walk on two legs. They shambled along uncomfortably on the crooked, backwards-bending limbs, which in conjunction with their massive, clawed paws and mouth full of huge, thick fangs spoke to a canine past. These canine monsters were fifteen feet tall if they were a foot.

Scurrying about the area in droves were strange, twisted little humanoids with skull-like faces. They moved with the nimbleness and speed of insects, yet their climbing style and hunched posture pegged them as primates. Each one likely stood about eight feet tall at full height, mostly thanks to their elongated, serpentine necks which they instead used to place their heads out in front of their bodies, allowing them to see past the overly large shoulder pieces of their exoskeletal armor that protected their long necks from decapitating swipes when fully erect. Their bodies appeared as skeletal as their faces, and even their armor reflected this, the chest giving the rough appearance of a rib cage and vertebrae, enclosing their unfathomably long and thin torsos. At the end of their long and thin arms were five-fingered claws, each talon as long as the finger it sprouted from, and each creature balanced on the balls of its clawed, thumbed feet, allowing them to move quickly and nimbly across the courtyard, the clawed thumbs of their feet allowing for extra dexterity while climbing.

As Nox drew closer to the courtyard's entrance, two of the canine abominations noticed him and unleashed a bone-chilling sound easily interpreted as their version of howling. Dropping onto all fours, they charged him, their massive bulk racing towards him with astonishing speed, claws reaching for him, toothed mouths slobbering red saliva, yellow eyes seething with primal malice and hunger. In a blur, Nox moved past them, racing in between them with such supernatural speed that he was already standing in the center of the courtyard by the time they even realized he was gone. Nox paused, allowing his presence to settle over the area like a miasma, letting the darkness draw his foes to him. One by one the twisted beasts perked up and began to notice him, and as they did, they began to close in on him. Nox counted four of the canines, six of the claw footed creatures, and roughly fourteen of the skull-apes. Dangerous numbers to be facing when he didn't know what precisely it was he was facing, but nonetheless he was confident his power would more than suffice.

He called to the darkness, and felt it answer. The air became charged with electricity, and as the now galloping horde of monsters bore down on him, that power reached its peak. All of a sudden, a lightning storm erupted in the courtyard. The entire space was filled with thousands of lightning bolts that appeared seemingly from the thin air above the battlefield and poured their voltaic wrath out on the legion of mutants below. Most of the skeletal primates were electrocuted immediately, while the survivors writhed and thrashed on the ground, their screams resembling the sound of laughter more than the sound of beings in agony. The Claw Feet curled themselves up into balls, screeching in pain, their tentacles barely managing to stay wrapped around themselves due to the electric current that caused them to constantly twitch and spasm. The massive canines were slowed and weakened by the liquid agony coursing through them, but impressively they seemed resistant enough to the power that they could continue to slowly crawl towards their prey.

Nox hovered in the air, channeling the storm and feeding on the deaths of those who died in it to fuel his power, until the massive Dread Hounds had come close enough that a few more steps would allow for a direct attack with their massive claws. He allowed the lightning to subside, leaving behind the smoking ashes of the skull apes, and the charred corpses of five of the Claw Feet. Released from the debilitation of Nox's lightning, the Dread Hounds pounced, only for Nox to slip out from under them with the same preternatural speed he had used to enter the courtyard.

The two hounds crashed into one another with the sound of ringing metal, and the two dogs that had charged Nox outside the courtyard leaped over their stunned comrades to continue charging him. Nox unleashed a powerful kinetic wave that sent them both flying onto their backsides, and then he was gone, moving across the yard in seconds and drawing his lightsaber as he bore down on the one remaining Claw Foot that had finally struggled to its feet and began to move in on him. In a series of movements too fast to see, Nox cleanly sliced off both of the creature's tentacles, causing it to scream in pain. He then proceeded to begin severing the tubes connecting the beast's armored mask to a strange device on its back. The creature's cries quickly became strangled, and it fell over face first, its body shuddering and jerking as it gasped for breath, suffocating after being cut off from its air supply.

Turning back to the two canine monstrosities bearing down on him, Nox took off towards them at impossible speed, dodging their swiping claws with the dexterity and speed of an insect dodging swatting hands or stomping feet. Nox utilized his lightsaber to deadly effect, repeatedly striking at unprotected areas such as the lower neck and jaw, or the hind feet and toes. One of the Dread Hounds was already dead by the time the remaining two caught up to the battle. Roaring with rage, the three beasts tried to overwhelm Nox, but to him it seemed as if they were moving in slow motion, and with his constant and clear premonitions of each second of the fight moments before it happened, he knew exactly when to dodge, when to strike, and where to move. The fight had been over from the moment it had begun.

Slicing open the last hound's neck and using the Force to rip out the suffering monster's vocal chords, Nox sheathed his lightsaber as the abomination collapsed to the ground, thoroughly dead. Turning away from the corpse, Nox moved towards the steps leading down into a lower courtyard, where another abomination at least eighty feet tall stood, twitching impatiently. It seemed not to have seen or heard Nox slaughtering its compatriots hundreds of meters away despite its great height, so Nox guessed it was near-sighted with not very good hearing or smell. The beast was the most humanoid of all the abominations he'd seen thus far, despite its four arms and hideous face partially hidden behind an armored mask. The armor plates on each of its four shoulders and the backs of its four hands, as well as those covering its pectorals, abdomen, and groin were embedded with the same crimson spheres as the smaller creatures, with long claws sprouted from its gauntleted hands. It's armored feet appeared more like hooves, but it seemed to have no trouble balancing its large, top-heavy body on them.

Nox felt the presence of Dread Master Brontes wash over him, and her voice echoed in his head:

"Nefra will collect her toll, and it will be paid in blood."

Almost as if she had heard her master's voice and taken it as a command, the monstrosity spotted Nox and began to lumber forward, her four clawed arms ready to seize and crush and eviscerate. Sensing her bestial mind, Nox reached out with his will, summoning the Dark Side to his aid as he attempted to crush the behemoth's will and bend it to his own. To his surprise, the creature's will wavered and shuddered under his mental assault, but held firm.

"She does not fear you." Brontes said, amusement and derision both prevalent in her tone, "Only us."

Ceasing his mental attack, Nox instead lifted off the ground through the power of Force Flight, darting in and around Nefra's multiple arms while unleashing salvo after salvo of Force lightning at her. She howled and tried to swat at him or snatch him from the air, but her efforts were futile. Nox avoided her attacks with unnatural precognition and speed, buzzing around the mammoth monster like Turanian blood fly, the stinging bites of his lightning wearing her down slowly but surely.

"Send in reinforcements! The Gatekeeper is under attack!" The harsh voice of the gate commander barked in Nox's ear. Taking one precious moment to scan his surroundings with the Force, Nox determined that a several squads of Dread Guard were closing in on his location from the courtyard behind him. Narrowly avoiding a vicious swipe of one of Nefra's claws, he turned away from her, swooping down towards the shocked Dread Guards who immediately opened fire on him.

Deflecting their blaster bolts with his lightsaber, Nox moved through the squads like the Reaper, his twin bladed lightsaber whirling and twirling in a storm of death. When the reinforcements all lay in pieces on the ground moments later, Nox turned his attention back to Nefra, who had begun lumbering across the courtyard to continue attacking him.

"Predator. Prey." Brontes mused in his thoughts. "Fear can drive both."

Crushing the unease that threatened to take root in his being and paralyze him, Nox instead harnessed it and turned it into hatred, hatred of Nefra, for not bowing to his will and obstructing his progress towards his goal, hatred of Brontes for idly watching while they fought and continuously spouting her inane observations in his head, and hatred of the Dread Masters for putting him through these motions, for doubting his ability and power. The hate suffused him and strengthened him, and his lightning blasts became more powerful, and he began casting ball lightning from his hands at his foe, hurling them like they were physical objects. The spheres of bright energy rained down on Nefra like hail. Roaring, she tried to use her four arms to shield her face and upper body from the painful orbs as they battered her mercilessly.

"More blood must flow." Brontes said in a tone that somehow managed to be demanding without being deprived of her typical sense of emotional aloofness. In response, Nefra suddenly lashed out with impossible speed, using an arm to send Nox flying across the yard and into the far wall. If he hadn't erected a Force barrier in time, he likely would have been seriously injured, his Force armor, physical armor, and body shattered and broken by the impact. As it was the impact was jarring enough, and Nox dropped to the ground, unable to maintain his Force flight. Nefra barreled across the yard, her long legs eating up the space between them, hooved feet big enough to crush him thundering against the stone floor with every step.

Nox was just recovering his bearings when she suddenly seized him in one, clawed hand, bringing him close to her eyes. In them Nox saw there was more to her bestial mind than he had first believed, there was an intelligence there, the capacity for a hatred beyond that of an animal, and that was when he felt the intrusion in his thoughts.

It wasn't Brontes, it was Nefra. She had some sort of power over the minds of those within close proximity to her, allowing her to bypass their mental defenses and force herself on them psychologically. Revolted by the intrusion into the most intimate parts of his psyche, and bewildered as to how it could have happened so easily, he was jarred back to a semblance of awareness by the voice of Brontes once more infecting his thoughts.

"I have changed her, as she will change you." Brontes stated flatly. Capitalizing on his shock to jolt him out the light trance Nefra's power had placed him in, he realized what was going on. The reason Nefra had been able to penetrate his mental defenses so easily was that part of her power was biological, rather than purely mental. Turning his Force sight on himself, he discovered that he was infected with pheromones Nefra was releasing, lowering his mind's ability to defend against her intrusion, allowing her to dominate his mind as if he was her offspring locked in a psychic link with her. He quickly understood that this was how the Dread Masters controlled such a vast army of abominations, merely by controlling one monster that could control the others.

Turning his disgust into hatred and rage, he felt it spread throughout his body, the fire of the Dark Side burning away the pheromones and allowing him to reassert control over his own mind. Nefra screamed in frustration and tried to push harder, but she was unaware had lost her only advantage and that brute force would no longer help. Reversing the connection, Nox began to try and dominate her will. Finding himself unable to do so, due to the creature's deep-seated fear of what her masters would do to her should she fail, he instead focused on tapping directly into her neurological network to cause her pain by directly triggering the appropriate neurons.

"The creature's pain will only drive it further." Brontes asserted, her disdain at his less than subtle approach to accomplish what she perceived to be his goal apparent in her inflection.

What she didn't realize was that Nox did not intend to break the beast's will with pain, he intended to simply win. With one final push he set off a series of explosions of agony within Nefra's mind, and with a final howl, the monster fell unconscious, collapsing onto her back and releasing Nox from her grasp as she lapsed into a coma.

Landing nimbly on his feet, Nox stared at the still and silent creature, registering a low and soft pattern of breath making her chest rise and fall. For a long moment he considered mounting her torso and severing her head to kill her. But as he reflected back on the fight, and on what he had come here to do, he decided that it was best to leave her alive. Based on the wounds he had inflicted on her and the depth of the coma she was now in, it was unlikely she would be a threat for several weeks, even if she was to awaken soon.

Turning away from Nefra's unconscious form, Nox moved up a set of steps and through a portcullis into the outer lobby of the gatehouse, contingents of Dread Guard rushing in from the other three corridors, the portcullis of each one slamming down behind them. Nox smiled, it looked like the fun was just beginning.

Several minutes and several hundreds of slain Dread Guard later, Nox arrived in the inner lobby of the Gatehouse, where an exceptionally large humanoid dressed head to toe in a set of armor Nox found absolutely fascinating stood defiantly. The red armor suit appeared to be repurposed Rakatan tech with very thick, heavy plates that gave him the appearance of a heavily armored, humanoid insect. Glowing purple lines ran along the large pauldrons protecting his shoulders and upper arms, while a series of sequential purple lights in the center of his chestplate, and panels of the same light on the crests of his boots glowed softly.

On his head was an Obroan style helm with no crests or flair of any kind, except for the eyes, which glowed with the same purple light as the other luminescent parts of the suit. The entire set of armor seemed to vibrate and hum, releasing waves of energy through the Force, and it took Nox a moment to realize that the suit was storing and conducting Force energy like a battery, and it was at that moment that Nox decided he could not let any of the Dread Master's treasures fall into Imperial hands. He would have to ensure that they merely got the crumbs, while he saved all of the best for himself. The man cocked his blaster rifle, which resembled schematics Nox had seen of Rakatan beam rifle technology, only this one looked like it had been heavily modified and upgraded.

"Destroy the intruder! The Master's demand it!" The man screamed, and as if on cue waves and waves of Dread Guard and skull apes began to pour into the space from all six of the open entrances, with the entrance behind the man in the strange-looking armor blocked by a lowered portcullis. With a dreadful smile, Nox spread his arms wide, and let the power flow.

With a thunderous explosion, the gate barring entry into the Dread Forge flew inward, crashing to the ground in a broken and twisted heap. The tall, red-skinned, black-armored, six-armed creature turned at the noise, its huge, reptilian maw releasing a low, threatening growl. The beast stood one hundred feet tall, clad in heavy black armor with four purple spheres imbedded in a square formation in its chest. Its six muscular arms ended in clawed hands, and its five-toed feet were also equipped with deadly claws. It's hatred-stained yellow eyes fixed on Nox, and its square jaw lowered to unleash a bellowing roar.

"Science. Technology. The Force. Life. All can be turned to our purpose." Brontes said, her grandiosity irritating Nox to no end.

The beast charged, clawed hands reaching for him. He dodged and slashed at the monster's bare arms with his now drawn lightsaber, only to find that the plasma blade barely broke skin. The creature followed up by pounding its fists into the stone floor, attempting to pummel him to death, roaring in anger, but Nox quickly put some distance between them, darting across the forge faster than the beast could follow.

"Grob'thok is angry you hurt Nefra, his mate." Brontes scolded, as if she were speaking to a misbehaved child. "Perhaps I will let him throw you into the forge, like he does with everything we give him."

Suddenly Nox heard the sound machinery coming to life, and he looked up to see a large crane magnet hanging from the ceiling moving towards him. He heard the sound of the electro-magnet turning on, and went on the run, the magnet and Grob'thok chasing him around the very large room. The tremors from Grob'thok's thundering gait caused fissures to open in the floor, with lava bursting out in spurts and jets, making it harder for Nox to navigate without stepping into puddles of bubbling magma.

Suddenly, Grob'thok stopped chasing Nox, reaching instead for a nearby junk pile and seizing a large piece of pipe that he gripped with two of his right hands. He brought the pipe up and then crashing down, trying to crush Nox beneath it. The impact was like a metal tree hitting the floor, and the ringing briefly disoriented Nox despite his subconscious sensory protection. Grob'thok raised the pipe to strike again.

"Embrace death," Brontes cooed in his head. "as all things must."

The resounding crash of the pipe didn't stun Nox so badly this time, now that he was prepared for it, and as he moved about the Forge, dodging both the crushing blows from the pipe and the powerful force of the magnet, he got an idea. He started hanging around closer to Grob'thok, making sure to stay out of reach of the creature's other four arms and avoid being caught by the magnet or crushed by the monster's stomping feet. The next time Grob'thok raised the pipe to strike Nox moved in closer to him, running directly between his legs. Grob'thok tried to slam the pipe down, only for it to get caught on the magnet, the powerful machine holding the pipe in a vice grip as firm as Grob'thok's.

The massive beast turned his attention away from Nox for the moment, placing all six of his powerful hands on the pipe, and pulling it down with all his might. There was a great, terrible screeching noise, as the metal holding the heavy magnet up strained and complained about the stress. Roaring with the effort, Grob'thok pulled harder, his muscles clearly straining beneath his deep red skin. Then with a thunderously loud cracking and metallic tearing noise, the pipe came free, along with the magnet. The improvised mace slammed into the ground, releasing shockwaves that would have knocked Nox off-balance if he had still been on the ground. Instead, he was busy clambering up Grob'thok's armored back, heading towards the monsters helmeted head.

Grob'thok picked up his newly upgraded weapon with all six arms, and began looking around for his opponent, when he couldn't find the little pest, he began searching in earnest, his head turning every which way as he shifted his feet and examined the space around him, so he was totally unprepared when a figure suddenly appeared directly in front of his left eye and the next moment it erupted in searing hot pain. Howling in rage and pain, Grob'thok dropped the pipe and clutched at his now ruined eye with four hands. Nox pushed himself off the giant lizard-like muzzle just before all four hands came down on the eye and backflipped twice before landing on his feet in a crouched position, watching as the tormented monster crashed into walls and junk piles, screaming and roaring its suffering at the world. Nox began to gather his power to take further advantage of the beasts agonized distraction, when the voice of Dread Master Brontes once more resounded in his inner mindscape.

"Fear can unite all things." She warned, as the pealing squeals and grunts of a legion of Ugnaughts poured out from hiding and charged towards him. Annoyed at the distraction, Nox turned his gathered power on them, unleashing rivers of chain lightning that electrocuted dozens of the squealing, pathetic creatures. The survivors were met with explosions of Dark Force energy that sapped their very life force out of them and channeled it into Nox. By the time Grob'thok had recovered and found Nox again, all the Ugnaughts were dead, either charred husks, or empty ones.

Roaring in unadulterated, abject fury, Grob'thok bore down on his prey, determined to rip the tiny little insect apart. That was the moment however, that the insect took off and started buzzing around his head, stinging him again and again with thick streams of lightning and blasts of dark power.

Grob'thok roared and swiped at Nox, but no matter how many of his arms he employed, Nox slipped through his grasp every time and continued to harry the massive beast. Slowly, Nox could feel the monster's strength fading, despite its anger.

Backing off and flying across the forge, Nox began to enact a ritual to finish the monster. By the time it fixed its one-eyed gaze on him and started barreling across the room towards him, he completed the last rite. The ritual unleashed a stream of black mist from Nox's chest, which struck Grob'thok in his chest, stopping him in his tracks. He roared in pain as the ritual stripped him of his very being and converted it into raw energy that Nox devoured and absorbed. As piece by piece of the creature's very essence poured into him, Nox savored his foe's agony and suffering as much as the surging influx of power that restored his reserves.

When the ritual completed, the deep red skin of the enormous Forge feeder had turned rather grayish and pale, with blackened veins showing underneath the partially translucent skin. The purple orbs on its chestplate that had once been lustrous and vibrant, now looked dark and drained.

"Our creations are legion." The voice of Brontes echoed angrily, "You don't yet know the danger that you face. So many new fears await you."

Ignoring her, Nox landed and approached the body, his gaze locked on the purple orbs. Their change in color seemed to have been a consequence of him using the Force to drain the creature's spirit and Force energy, as if they had been somehow connected to their wearer's spirit. Fascinating. It seemed that the armor that all the Dread Master's monstrosities had worn so far were somehow able to enhance the bearer's strength in the Force, or perhaps they allowed the user to subconsciously utilize the Force to a greater effect without any need for sentience let alone training...

Thinking back to his confrontation with Gate Commander Draxus, Nox realized that his armor must work on the same principle, the glowing purple lights being an indication of the armor's Force-enhancing abilities being active, just as the purple orbs in Grob'thok's armor and the crimson orbs in the armor of Nefra and the other creatures were indicators. Truly intriguing technology. Nox reached out to touch one of the orbs, and pulled his hand back as soon as it hit the glassy surface. In the instant he had physical contact with it, the orb had somehow siphoned power directly from him!

So they don't just act as indicators, Nox thought to himself. They can also be used to drain power from other sources. Getting to his feet, Nox dusted himself off, and began to move deeper into the fortress.

As soon as Nox entered the courtyard with the cross-shaped paths he knew he was in for a real fight, and the tinny voice of the unseen commander droid confirmed it.

"All units, engage carnage protocols!"

Suddenly, a massive droid, a larger, white-painted version of the droids he had seen on his ascent of the watchtower wearing a black cape dropped seemingly out of nowhere, landing in front of the small army of similar droids whose weapons were all cocked and aimed. The commander droid rose to its feet and pointed one metallic finger at him.

"You dare invade the residence of the masters. You will be crushed for your insolence, organic!"

"What is your designation droid?" Nox asked.

"I am Corrupter Zero. I am the master's first and greatest technological creation, and I will not let you harm them!"

"I'm here to save your masters." Nox replied evenly. "Without me they are doomed."

"You lie!" Corrupter Zero snapped. "And now I will show you what happens to trespassers. This is the end of the line. The end of your life!"

Nox threw up a barrier just as the legion of droids opened fire on him. The sheer volume of plasma might have overwhelmed him in any other situation, but thanks to his immense power it just felt like someone hammering on his barrier with their fists.

"Is this all you have?" He taunted Corrupter Zero. "I'm growing bored!"

Corrupter Zero touched a button on his wrist, and immediately the doors on the east and west ends of the courtyard opened to allow more droids to pour out.

"Fear my army organic!" Zero spat, as he touched another button and took off, his jetpack propelling him high into the air. Hovering at a certain height, he began to rain down salvos of missiles on Nox, forcing the Dark Lord to go on the move.

"More units! More! Go forth and dismember!" Zero howled as droids continued to flood out of both doorways, filling the air with blaster fire and surrounding Nox on three sides. Nox moved through their ranks like a deadly wind, slicing and dismembering them at breakneck speed. Yet still, every time one fell another droid stepped up to take its place, the never-ending stream of reinforcements filled their ranks as fast as Nox could deplete them.

"All units: annihilate." Zero ordered, and instantly the squad of droids Nox was in the process of destroying started to twitch and shake. Sensing what was about to happen moments before it did, Nox barely had any time to escape the blast radius before the entire squad of droids self-destructed, creating a blast that temporarily deafened and staggered Nox. He instinctively erected a Force barrier to protect him from incoming fire, but not before a few shots found their way to his shoulder and hip. Thankfully his natural Force armor and the cortosis armor woven into his robes protected him, but the blasts left black scorch marks on his otherwise intact equipment.

Together, my army is invincible!" Zero crowed in triumph as Nox hunkered down behind his Force barrier while endless streams of plasma and countless salvos of missiles rained down on him in a deluge of fiery death. Nox could feel the power building inside him as his rage and hatred grew. He reached deep down into the well of infinite blackness and brought the power to the surface. A massive wave of Force energy erupted from him, sweeping outward like a crystal clear nuclear dome. The army of droids was blasted back into the walls of the courtyard, shattering like toys. The blast overloaded the safeties on the door panels, and the doors of the east and west passages slammed shut, locking themselves in accordance with lockdown protocols.

Corrupter Zero landed in the courtyard's center within arm's reach of Nox, drawing the twin vibroblades he had on his back.

"You are about to experience true agony, I will disassemble you!" He snarled, advancing on Nox, huge weapons swinging. Nox slipped to the side, avoiding the crushing blow of one of his foes blades, then retaliating with a flurry of strikes that did little more than deal superficial damage. The droid's armor was pure Beskar. This thing was made to fight Force-users, Nox realized.

Slipping under another of Corrupter Zero's assaults, Nox tried to strike at perceived weak points, only to find that those places were protected by miniature shield generators that boosted the strength of the droid's personal shields in a localized area. Parrying a strike from the large automaton, Nox realized he was going to have to try something else. 

"My masters love to hear your screams!" Zero taunted him, as he aggressively battered Nox with a series of heavy-handed blows from Djem So. Nox responded by leaping backwards and unleashing a thick stream of lightning at his foe. The droid's charge, which it had initiated to pursue him, slowed to a crawl as its systems struggled to maintain its personal shields under the intensity of Nox's Force Lightning. Nox amped up the voltage, and Zero's advanced slowed even further, as the stream became a river. A shimmering aura of purple surrounded Nox and emanated from his eyes as he channeled the Dark Side into sheer power. All of his concentration was focused on bringing his enemy down, and his efforts were rewarded when, one by one, he sensed the droid's shield generators overloading.

Noticing this as well, Zero suddenly stopped his advance and activated a concussion pulse. Nox clutched at his head, releasing the droid from his electric assault, as the pulse sparked nearly every pain receptor in his brain momentarily. The agony was like a flash grenade going off inside his head, and by the time he had recovered, Zero was gone.

"Engaging offensive weapons level: Omega!" Came the droid's tinny voice from across the yard. Nox looked towards where the voice had come from, and with a start saw Zero standing in front of the northern doorway, his chest panel having opened to reveal a large barrel from which was emanating a brilliant red glow. In a flash, Nox moved into the east-west corridor just as a massive beam of crimson energy blasted down the north-south corridor. Feeling a tremor in the ground only seconds after, Nox glanced down at the eastern doorway to see Zero had relocated, and was charging for another attack.

"You will not win. You are not allowed to win!" The droid said, and Nox briefly wondered how the Dread Masters had managed to program such realistic arrogance into a verbobrain. The moment of distraction nearly killed him. At the last second he managed to erect a Force Barrier that protected him, the energy flow breaking against it like water breaking over a rock. The attempt took a lot more effort than Nox was willing to continue expending, and he decided he was going to end this now.

Zero began charging his beam again, and Nox bore down on him with reckless speed, not even bothering to defend himself from the impending blast. Instead, he drove his lightsaber blade down into the barrel of the droid's chest cannon until he felt it pierce something, then he retracted it and took off straight into the sky, his Force Flight carrying him away from the now imminent explosion.

He felt it rumbling up beneath him, and when the shockwave reached him, he was lifted like a bird in the wind. When he finally stabilized himself and descended back on the courtyard, he saw the blast had left a crater in the spot where the droid had been standing. Approaching the crater, he looked down into it. Nothing. The droid had been atomized.

A loud clattering noise caused him to whirl to see what had made the sound. At first he didn't see anything, but then he noticed the scorched and blackened head of Corrupter Zero lying the courtyard like a piece of refuse. Approaching it, he turned it with his foot to examine the droid's eyes. Miraculously, there was still a glow coming from them. The ruined vocabulator sparked and hissed as the automaton's last words were spoken.

"My masters will see you pay for this affront..." Then the light in the droid's eyes winked out.

Nox walked down yet another unoccupied hallway. The mysterious absence of any guards or Brontes incessant goading was beginning to worry him. Was she really all out of minions? Or did she have something else planned for him now? Turning a corner and ascending a rise, he reached a partially open set of double doors and stopped as he tried to process what exactly he was seeing.

Dread Master Brontes was hovering in mid-air in the center of the room, overtop a large ventilation shaft that no doubt led to the fortress's geothermal power core. Six golden tentacle arms, composed of the same substance as her helm, sprouted from her back and hung suspended in the air, like the wings of a fallen angel. Her head was tilted back, looking up towards the heavens as if in rapture. The entire picture struck him as the scene depicted in a great work of art, such as Rushilea Tukari's "The Angel" or Gemorri Vosa's "Ascension".

"Yes..." She said in a tone more succulent and seductive than any she had used up to this point. "Come closer...closer..." Her tone, like a beckoning finger, was reminiscent of a lover calling to her mate, inviting him into her sweet embrace. Despite himself, Nox felt his primal instincts briefly take over, and he began to walk towards her. Her head lowered to gaze at him as he approached, and she leaned down, extending a hand towards him, as if to lift him up off the ground with her. Barely knowing what he was doing, Nox's own hand extended, reaching for hers. Just before their fingers would have touched, Brontes disappeared, her echoing laughter filled with arrogance and scorn.

Nox felt his anger and hatred bubble to the surface. She had hypnotized him, entranced him. His moment of weakness, of being taken off-guard, had allowed her to put him in her sway. The doors on each side of the room suddenly opened, and hordes of the Dread Master's armored monstrosities began to pour in, howling and screeching as they bore down on him.

Nox unleashed his hatred, and the room erupted into chaos.

Nox walked swiftly down the long corridor leading to where Brontes was waiting. He knew she was on the other side of the door ahead, he could sense her. Her presence in the Force was like the scent of a rotting corpse, a pervading, unmistakable stench that was at the same time, somehow as captivating as the scent of the most beautiful perfume, it attracted him as much as it repulsed him. Nox had never been in Vitiate's presence, but if this was what the physical presence of a Dread Master felt like, he could only imagine what it felt like to be in the same room as the Sith Emperor.

"Your future is here." Brontes said, her intonation equal parts haughty and inviting. "Your body will be ours to mold, our minds will be as one." Nox's instincts threatened to take control once again, but a supreme effort of will crushed them into submission and forced his body to obey his will. His steps towards the door remained measured and steady, and when he reached it, it opened seemingly of its own accord.

He walked into what was probably the largest courtyard in the fortress next to the one in which he had fought Nefra, and immediately noticed Brontes in the center-north area, hovering above the ground, her golden metal tentacles spread wide like spider legs.

"You are a fascinating specimen. Let's see what you're really made of shall we?" She said, genuine curiosity and anticipation in her voice. Nox drew and activated his lightsaber.

"Then let's begin."

He charged. Brontes moved towards him, using four of her tentacles as legs, with the other two telescoping to reach for him, ready to impale and electrocute him. Nox repelled her first assault with a spinning parry and moved in to try and strike at her directly, but her two middle tentacles took turns parrying his blows along with the top two, so that she was always standing on at least three of her metallic limbs.

Nox fell back into a ready position to recoup for a second attack, and Brontes took advantage of the opportunity to taunt him.

"Submit. Let yourself be unmade." She cooed, her invitation equally tempting and enraging Nox. The temptation stemmed from his body and mind betraying him to power to manipulate thoughts and compel impulses and emotions, but the rage came from his own hatred of her for attempting to control him. He had sworn he would never be a slave again, not to anyone or anything. Yet this Dread Master compelled his own body to betray him, and it was only through his own exertion of willpower that he maintained control over it.

"Flesh is insufficient. You must discard it." Brontes scoffed, and suddenly her top two tentacles unleashed twin streams of electricity straight at him. Snarling, Nox extended his hands, absorbing the energy as his eyes glowed violet. Brontes was taken by surprise, and barely managed to deflect her own reflected blasts that Nox launched at her. Nonetheless she moved on him immediately, three tentacles thrashing and stabbing and whipping themselves at her foe, while she stood mounted on the other three like some kind of monstrous arachnid mutant.

Nox leaped backward, calling on the power of Force Flight to carry him to the wall behind him and then shot up it, hurling ball lightning at Brontes. Unwilling to let him put distance between them, Brontes pursued, using four of her tentacles to scale the wall after him by stabbing them into the stone, while the other two batted away or dispersed his ball lightning and responded with energy blasts of their own. Just as Nox reached the top of the wall and was about to fly over her and unleash a barrage of lightning upon her from behind, one of her tentacles slipped past his guard and wrapped itself around his waist, hurling him back into the center of the courtyard, where he managed to land on his feet, skidding to a stop.

"You can become so much more." She promised him. "But first your limitations must be explored."

Suddenly loud howls and snarling yelps came from all around. Nox spared himself a moment to look around and see that several packs of Dread Beasts were pouring into the courtyard from all sides. The red orbs in their armor gleamed under the torchlight and the reddish glow of Oricon's sky as they loped, bounded, and shambled their way towards him. There were four Dread Hounds, their huge claws scraping on the ground and massive fangs snapping as they ran. Behind them were too many Claw Feet to count, although it couldn't have been more than ten. Scampering in behind the hulking monstrosities were several packs of Skull Apes, their battle cries sounding like eerie laughter as their skinny limbs ate up the ground separating them from their prey. Laughing, Brontes suddenly threw herself off the wall and took off into the air, hovering in the very center of the courtyard quite far off the ground.

"I will know what you are truly capable of." She taunted him. Four of her tentacles came together in front of her, their tips almost touching as they charged up with energy. Sensing what was coming, Nox sidestepped the beam of raw power that slammed into the ground where he had been standing.

"Hmm, your reflexes are slower than expected, further research is required." Brontes said mockingly. This time all six tentacles came together and charged up to unleash electric blasts. Nox went on the move just as a much larger and stronger beam of energy literally ripped the ground to shreds beneath him, vaporizing the stone floor and the dirt beneath it. The beasts that had been unleashed chased after him as he moved around the yard, trying to outrun the massive beam.

Brontes ceased to channel the beam, and Nox turned to unleash his own attack on her, when he noticed that she was surrounded by a Force Barrier, and more importantly, simply pausing to charge up her next beam attack.

Suddenly Nox had an idea, and just as Brontes unleashed the energy beam, he turned and ran directly towards the horde of monsters she had summoned. The beam slammed into the ground just behind him as he moved through the ranks of the monsters with preternatural speed. Both him and the beam chasing him moved so fast that the monsters were completely vaporized before Brontes could even register what had just happened, leaving nothing but a smoking furrow behind.

"Ugh!" She hissed her disgust at his success in baiting her. "I am..." she paused. "Impressed." She said the word out begrudgingly, reluctant to recognize that she had been outwitted.

She remained in the air however, and Nox noticed a black aura beginning to encompass her as the eye slits in her helm glowed a deep violet.

"Witness the potential of perfection." She said, and Nox heard the calls of more Dread Beasts as another horde, even larger than before, flooded into the yard. Brontes was channeling her remaining power, so there would be no helpful beam to vaporize them this time, he would have to rely on his own strength to eliminate these creatures.

Summoning the darkness, Nox felt it fill him like a vessel, taking root in his very being and building to crescendo. He'd never tried this before, but there was no time like the present to try. When he felt the dark power within him reach its peak, mere seconds before the beasts would be upon him, he released it. A dome of darkness exploded out from him, instantly turning everything living thing it touched to dust. Flesh and bone had the Force stripped from them instantaneously, the energy drawn back into Nox to add to his already vast stores of power. In a single moment the massive Death Field devoured the life of every beast Brontes had summoned, wiping out the entire legion of mutants and feeding their Force energy to Nox. The only things left behind were the pieces of their armor, the once gleaming orbs now dull and drained.

Surveying the damage his amplified Death Field had caused, Nox was immensely pleased. He could feel the power that had once been housed in his victims surging within him. Between this and Grob'Thok he had gained back most of what had been spent.

Just then he felt a great disturbance in the Dark Side, and he whirled to see the Force Barrier surrounding Brontes fade away. The black aura seemed to have swallowed her entire form, her eyes shining with dark power.

"Now, share your true strength." She demanded as she descended on him like a fallen angel, using the power of Force Flight as easily and instinctually as walking. Nox moved like an acrobat, leaping, twisting, and dodging as her tentacles speared the ground like striking serpents, determined to impale him. She moved in impossible speed, but Nox was still faster, still quicker to react. What he couldn't dodge he deflected with his lightsaber, but he was on pure defense now, trying simply to avoid getting hit.

Her tentacles were everywhere, shrouded in the same black aura as her body, they struck with unimaginable speed and accuracy, predicting Nox's feints and ruses with uncanny certainty. Every second they came closer and closer to catching him, and Nox realized if he didn't end this fight soon, it would end him.

Faster than he could blink, one of Brontes appendages knocked his lightsaber out of his hand, and it clattered to the ground halfway across the yard. Nox turned and twisted himself in mid-air to avoid being impaled by two separate tentacles, then took off as fast he could go straight for Brontes. The other four tried to stop him, but he whirled and twisted and rolled like he was born flying, slipping through her metallic grasp with the dexterity and agility of one of the flying Tirol serpents of Geenihar. He extended his hand, and his lightsaber flew across the space in an instant. He felt it sink into his palm, and thumbed the activation switch.

Brontes gasped in complete surprise as she felt the plasma blade pierce her chest and go straight through her heart. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a scream as Nox channeled his dark power directly through the weapon into her body. In a panic, she realized he wasn't trying to kill her directly. He was channeling an anti-spell from Sith Sorcery directly into her body, using his lightsaber as the conduit. She could feel the ritual and alchemic binding spells she had placed to keep her power in check and prevent it from totally consuming her evaporating. For the first time in centuries, Dread Master Brontes felt something she had believed she would never feel again: Terror.

As she looked into the black, empty eye sockets of her foe, she understood now why he wore that helmet. At this moment in time, all she could see was the cold gaze of death staring back at her. In them there was no pity, no hatred, no anger. Only a cold, insatiable hunger.

"You have destroyed much, but not all." She managed one last taunt. "This is not the end of your trials, only the beginning."

As her own power devoured her flesh, Brontes felt the pull of the void, and her heart trembled like a little child as she felt death opening its maw to swallow her up. Then, all became blackness.

Nox deactivated his lightsaber, hovering in the air. Brontes was defeated, but at the last moment he had felt her spirit escape the jaws of the void, propelled or pulled somewhere. As if she was still bound to this plane of existence.

The air around him grew dark, the world seemed to dim and the shadows lengthened. The four specters of the remaining Dread Masters appeared in the four corners of the courtyard, looming over him like a council of gods.

"You killed her." Dread Master Raptus accused. "Now you will descend into madness with us."

"Your soul will be forfeit, as ours also are." Tyrans threatened.

"We will have our revenge." Bestia said. "If we must die then the galaxy dies with us."

"I have a different plan." Nox said. "Surrender yourselves to me, and I can cure you of your afflictions. You will live on and your power will shape the nightmares of countless generations from now until the end of time."

"Fool!" Snapped Calaphyus.

"We are not so easily led." Raptus said hotly.

"It does not matter if you come to us or flee." Tyrans growled. "Your fate will be the same." The specters vanished, but the gloom remained.

"We will be waiting." Raptus said, and then the presence of the Masters faded.

Nox strode through the darkened hallways of the Dread Palace, the very air around him vibrating and pulsing with the power of the Dark Side. In the fortress outside it had been a kind of lingering presence, like a scent carried on the wind but here, that presence had become an overwhelming pressure. He felt like he was at the bottom of an ocean of Dark Side energy, and that the only thing keeping his mind and spirit from being crushed was his own power pushing out from his core, combating the overwhelming pressure.

As he climbed a large staircase leading up to the place where the Dark Side was stronger, he noticed that the shadows, deep as they were, seemed to grow larger and thicker, despite the soft red glow coming from wall-mounted illumination crystals. Reaching the top of the staircase, he entered a dark foyer with a central path leading to another staircase on the opposite side of the room, which had six paths leading off of the main one and into dark tunnels in the left and right walls of the chamber. Nox could feel the presence of the remaining Dread Masters wafting out of four of the tunnels, and he decided to enter the closest one.

He entered the tunnel and followed it as it wound its way down into the depths of the palace, the tunnel becoming more and more like the lair of some beast rather than the sanctuary of a master of the Dark Side. Finally, he entered an expansive chamber with a throne in the center. The chamber was filled with strange and disgusting objects. There was a lot of the strange root-tentacles Nox had discovered were the limbs of the living trees outside the fortress, but these roots seemed to have not been affected by Nox's ritual. Gathered in large clusters on the room's edges were some kind of bloated, liquid-filled flesh bubbles that were larger than your average humanoid. If Nox had to guess he would have assumed they were the eggs of some deep sea creature from another planet, and that hypothesis became a little more believable when he thought he saw movement inside one of them.

Embedded in the walls were more of the flesh-bubbles, only these were much larger, and the murky red liquid inside kept any potential movement obscured. The floor was littered with corpses, human and alien, most curled up near the mysterious "eggs" lining the chamber's edges. As Nox walked towards the throne sitting on a raised dais in the center of the room, he noticed that the murky water covering the rest of the room's floor seemed to occasionally stir and ripple, as if something was moving underneath the surface.

He reached the steps of the dais, and stared at the empty throne for a moment, contemplating whether he had made a mistake and chosen one of the abandoned chambers.

"You come bearing your sin, like a pack of vipers it swallows you whole." Dread Master Bestia said, her voice seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"Show yourself." Nox's voice was low and threatening. There was no anger in his tone, only authority.

Bestia released the veil in the Force she had been using to mask her location, and descended from the spot near the ceiling where she had been hovering, lowering herself to the path that Nox had just traversed to get to the center.

"You have come through fire and pain, my sister and brother tasted your strength and were given death in return." Bestia said, an undertone of animosity, contradicted by the apathetic amusement in her voice, giving weight to her words.

"Surrender to me, or I promise to give you the same." Nox said, his voice low and steady.

"I think not." Bestia said, turning to pace away from him. "You have come through many trials already, but your true evolution hasn't even begun. In order for you to become the perfection you seek to embody you must be born anew. Your past wiped away, your body reforged into a vessel for true power. The changes that you made on Belsavis with the help of the Mother Machine were a start, but they will not be enough."

"I know what you're doing because I've done it myself." Nox stated flatly. "Don't think to manipulate me with promises of power, I'm well aware of what is required."

"Are you? Are you truly?" Bestia asked, turning to face him once more, the soft red glow of the few illumination crystals mounted on the ceiling and walls making her golden helm gleam softly.

"Yes. I will be reborn, but on my own terms." Nox replied firmly. Bestia laughed.

"You cannot achieve rebirth on your own," She said with scornful amusement. "anymore than a fetus can decide when to be birthed."

"A god decides not just where he goes, but when he goes." Nox responded. Bestia laughed again.

"So you fancy yourself one of us already?" She cackled. Red, shadowy energy began to gather around her hands, and a crimson Force barrier sprang to life around her.

Suddenly nearly every one of the fleshy "eggs" ruptured, blood-red liquid spilling out into the water. With growing disgust, Nox could see white, pale, wormlike creatures with tenticular limbs and large, lipless mouths full of sharp teeth slithering out. As he watched, he saw several of the creatures feel their way to the nearby corpses, and enter them through the nearest orifice. He could hear the creatures chewing, and watched in horror as the bodies literally deflated as they were hollowed out by the newly born larvae. Just then, the wall-mounted eggs ruptured, and the lower portions of the room were filled with the crimson amniotic fluid. Out of the broken remains of the strange wombs came large monstrosities with teeth, tentacles, and fields of eyes. One of the beasts was obviously a Dread Hound without armor, but much larger than any of its kin that Nox had fought. The second beast was a massive, slug-like creature with a body made of pale ooze, eight eyes, and two fleshy antenna atop its bulbous head.

The third beast was a lizard that walked on two, hooved legs, had a lipless mouth filled to the brim with impossibly long teeth, and two long arms tipped by hands that boasted claws even longer than its teeth. The fourth and final beast, for all intents and purposes, seemed to just be a mass of slithering tentacles that slithered out of its former incubation chamber like a nest of snakes. Only when it had moved its full bulk out of the womb did Nox realize it had a body in the center of that mass of tentacles.

"Do you like my corruptions?" Brestia said laughing maniacally. Nox did not speak, but simply drew and ignited his lightsaber.

"You seek true pain." Bestia noted. "It will be given. Children, consume him!"

The four Dread beasts attacked. Nox moved quickly to dodge the leaping charges of the Dread Hound and the hooved lizard, but was nearly hit by the slug's stream of sticky white paste and the tentacle beast's thrashing limbs as a result. With quick slashes of his lightsaber he sliced off the tips of several tentacles and managed to contort his body to avoid being hit by the white stream, which struck the floor behind him and almost instantly solidified into a rock-like coating.

Moving with blinding speed, Nox landed a series of savage blows on the Dread Hound and hooved lizard, before moving past them towards the tentacle monster. He dodged, slashed, and hurled his lightsaber around, using the Force to guide it as it flew through the air like a laser saw. He grew close to the creature's main body and began moving with godlike dexterity and alacrity between its thrashing limbs, slicing many of them off close to the base. He saw that the creature's body was little more than a mound of flesh, with no sensory organs to be seen other than its tentacles, and a gaping mouth that looked like it belonged to a Syrox. With hateful vehemence, Nox unleashed a burst of lightning into the creature's maw, causing it to howl and screech in pain. Nox continued to sever tentacles as they came near him, interrupting his pruning to occasionally send another blast of lightning into the yawning chasm of the monster's maw.

Suddenly two pairs of claws came slashing at him, and Nox had to cease his attacks on the tentacle beast to dodge them, realizing that the other beasts had now turned and were attacking their own sibling in order to get to him. The slug was pinning the tentacle beast's limbs to the walls and floor with its solidifying goo, allowing the others to slash and claw and snap at Nox without too many limbs getting in the way. Leaping up and spinning like a top, Nox hurled his lightsaber in an expanding circle around him while hurling lightning spheres in all directions. The Dread Beasts fell back, and even the slug contracted itself, shuddering and quaking whenever some of the balls of energy struck its slimy body.

Nox landed, and once more began attacking and slashing at the two melee beasts, while dodging the blows from the enraged tentacle monster and the insidious slug. Suddenly he felt the Dark Side building around him. Realizing what was about to happen a split second before it did, he shrouded himself in the Dark Side. The Death Field erupted a mere half-second afterwards, the energy tainted red instead of purple. Nox deftly slipped under a sweeping strike from the Dread Hound, slid between the legs of the hooved lizard, and exited the Death Field's area of effect before his shroud evaporated. The two beasts weren't so lucky. They howled in agony as the field of pure Dark Side energy consumed the flesh off their bones. The field lasted for a few seconds, which in itself was an impressive display of Bestia's power. But even more impressive was the fact that the creatures did not simply evaporate in the space of a second under the field's effects. Though they were much the worse for having suffered under it.

Bestia's laugh echoed through the chamber. "You think you can win? Fool! My pets are legion, behold!" At the sound of her voice, nearly every corpse in the room rose to their feet. Their eyes pure black, and their forms resembling nothing more than skin stretched over bone. With a chill, Nox realized where the Skull-apes had come from, they were likely the fully matured form of those worm-like creatures, who by that point in their life cycle had probably merged with the corpse they animated to an extent. Beneath the skin of each cadaver, Nox could see the rippling of the tentacled worm's muscles as it moved the skeleton like a macabre puppeteer. One corpse opened its mouth, revealing it was now where the worm had placed its own fang-filled maw, and unleashed an unearthly howl. As one the entire horde of animated corpses descended on Nox, forcing him to go on the move, hacking and slashing his way through their massed ranks. Nox realized that he had a long hard fight ahead of him, one which would likely cost him more power than he could afford to lose, unless he found a way to completely flip the tables.

"That's it children," Bestia cooed as her monstrosities pursued him. "tear him to pieces, and bring me his heart."

Suddenly, an idea sprouted in Nox's brain. This was supposed to be a trial, granted Bestia was likely trying to kill him in her own madness, but it was still likely a trial of some sort. He had already faced Brontes in a trial of conquest and combat in the fortress, so there must be more to this trial than simply fighting off a horde of abominations. The whole fight Bestia had done nothing but encourage and command her "children", so the trial likely involved them somehow-

He was forced to break off that train of thought as one of the previously inactive root-like tentacles under the water suddenly wrapped itself around his leg just as the Dread Beasts pursuing him launched a particularly well-co-ordinated attack. His surprise at the sudden intervention of the last remnants of the Dread Trees nearly cost him, as several of the Skull Apes attempted to bite off his limbs and head, his Force armor and personal shield protecting him. What nearly killed him however, was the simultaneous attack from the four large Dread Beasts, who attacked in eerie unison.

The Dread Hound and Dread Lizard attacked from opposite sides, while the slug shot a stream of its paste over his head to prevent him from escaping with a leap, and the tentacle beast surrounded him and cut off other escape routes with its long reach. Instead of dodging, Nox summoned all the power he could muster on such short notice, and unleashed it in a wave of power that was part Dark Side energy, part kinetic energy. The powerful wave was strong enough to send every Skull Ape around him flying, while knocking back the hound and lizard as well as temporarily unbalancing and disorienting the slug and tentacle beast.

With the moment of reprieve this afforded him, Nox connected the last few dots in his head and had an epiphany. The Skull Apes had gotten to their feet and were charging at him, followed by the now-recovered Dread Beasts. Nox stood perfectly still, preparing himself, then he unleashed a powerful wave of psychic energy. Every Dread Beast in the room stopped cold, their feeble, pitiful, savage minds filled with Nox's brilliance and intelligence. Through the psychic wave Nox had given every monstrosity in that room a glimpse of him as he truly was. A glimpse of his desires, his goals, his plans and the plans he had within plans. They saw, although they could never truly comprehend, the depths of his intelligence. They saw his power, and what he had done and fought against to gain it. They saw him for what he truly was. As far as simple beasts like them were concerned, he was a god.

Slowly, one by one, each beast lowered itself into a posture of submission and deference. The hound and lizard lowered themselves to the floor, their muscles relaxed. The tentacles beast stopped thrashing and curled its tentacles in around itself, while the slug quivered and retracted its antennae into its head.

"No!" Hissed Bestia. "Children, I am your mother! Obey me! Destroy him! Destroy him now!"

None of the creatures moved. Nox waited a while before speaking.

"You may be their mother, Bestia. But without a father, these creatures are little better than mindless savages who can never accomplish anything of value."

"Lies!" Bestia howled. "Children, obey me!" Her voice had become a harpy-like screech, and Nox could tell her already fragile psyche was beginning to crack.

"They obey the one whom they respect, and they respect true power." Nox replied, his voice as firm and steady as it had been before the battle. "Children may love their mother," He said, lifting a hand towards Bestia. Her barrier, made fragile by her distraction, instantly collapsed and she was flung to the floor into a posture of complete abasement. "but they respect and fear their father!" He said authoritatively. Bestia howled and thrashed against her invisible bonds, attempting to summon enough of her own Force power to break them, but Nox's hold on both her physical body and ethereal one were too strong, and she couldn't summon enough will to break free of his stranglehold.

"Now, submit!" Nox's voice boomed, as he increased the pressure on Bestia.

"Never!" She screamed in helpless fury.

"I said SUBMIT!" Nox repeated, lacing his words with dark power. The creatures trembled as the wave passed over them, and Bestia squirmed in pain when it touched her.

"I WILL NEVER SUBMIT TO YOU!" Bestia screamed, and in a flash, Nox felt the power of the other Dread Masters surge through her, and he instantly prepared himself for battle. It was unnecessary however, as Bestia simple vanished without a trace, as if she had never been there in the first place.

"Enjoy this moment of victory." Bestia's disembodied voice advised. "It will be your last."

Nox walked into the chamber at the end of the long, descending staircase that led to it. Mere seconds after he entered the room, a wall of fire erupted from the threshold, sealing off the doorway. Turning back to glance at the flames, Nox heard the voice of Dread Master Tyrans boom through the wide open space.

"So you come, like a lamb to the slaughter."

Nox turned his head back to the far end of the room, where the voice had come from. There, standing just in front of a throne raised a full meter and half off of the floor, was Tyrans. With a casual air, Nox's opponent stepped off of the throne's platform and landed easily on the floor below it. It was only then Nox realized that the chamber was far longer than it was wide, and the floor was comprised of massive tiles. Hanging from the ceiling, like a morbid chandelier, was a red, inverted pyramidal holocron, casting its soft red glow through the room.

"Are you prepared?" Tyrans asked. Nox felt like laughing.

"Ask Styrak and your sisters." He retorted.

"However powerful you may be," Tyrans replied. "your are still just an insignificant Sith. A speck."

With that, walls of fire erupted from the cracks between the tiles, turning each one into a island in what seemed a sea of flames. Too late, Nox felt the grip of the Dark Side on him, and realized what Tyrans had done.

"You performed the ritual of Kalabaan."

"Correct." Tyrans said, his voice betraying not even a hint of his emotions.

"Now neither of us can leave, until the ritual is complete, until the game is won." Nox said, as if by wrote.

"Then let us begin." Tyrans said, raising his hand, palm facing directly outward. Nox followed suit, and in a burst of dark energy, the ritual siphoned their power, converting it into raw energy, and giving it form and substance.

In the center of each tile there appeared a person or creature. Only the center row of tiles was left vacant. Tyrans side of the room was populated by simulacrums of members of the Dread Host, not unlike the ones Nox had encountered or seen outside the fortress. His front line was composed of Dread Guard soldiers, their weapons cocked and at the ready, and Dread Guard acolytes, with their skull-faced masks, red, white, and black armor, and glowing yellow lightsabers. His second line contained two Sorcerers dressed in Dread Guard robes, wearing Obroan-style skull-like helms, and two Dread Guard Marauders wielding a lightsaber in each hand. His third and final line, just in front of him, had two Dread Guard Enforcers on either end, each wearing heavy armor and wielding a heavy assault cannon. On the center two tiles stood both a Dread Guard Corrupter like the ones Nox had fought when he destroyed the terraforming machines, and a tall Dread Guard Overlord like the ones Nox had seen guarding the watchtower outside the fortress, wearing the same robes and ornate Obroan helm.

Nox's front line was composed of both soldiers dressed in armor identical to the Dread Guard on Tyran's side, and black-robed acolytes that looked fresh from Korriban. The soldier's armor differed from the Dread Guard only in that it was purple and black instead of red and black. The second line of Nox's army was comprised of two Sith juggernauts resembling Lord Demise, with purple blades and helms nearly identical to Nox's own, and two dark-robed assassins with double-bladed violet lightsabers and malicious smiles peeking out from beneath the cowls of their cloaks. The third line had two massive Terentateks on either end, with spitting images of Darth Skade and Darth Raze between them.

"As the defender, I reserve the right to make the first move." Tyrans said. At the sound of his voice the Dread Guard Overlord began to glow with a red aura, which soon appeared around all the other members of Tyrans army as well, with the exception of the two Enforcers. "I move my Dread Acolyte on the right forward two spaces." The walls of fire blocking the way vanished, leaving the acolyte in question a clear path to his target, one of Nox's soldiers. Charging forward, the acolyte deflected the soldier's blaster shots, and executed his enemy with a leaping strike.

"I also move my other Acolyte two spaces forward." Tyrans declared, and the scene repeated itself with eerie accuracy, only this time it was another of Nox's soldiers that fell. "I move my right-side Dread Guard to attack your Dark Acolyte." Tyrans said, and this time the soldier on the far end of Tyrans front line charged forward, the flames vanishing to allow him to pass. The battle ended as quickly as the others, with Tyrans minion standing triumphant, while another member of Nox's front line vanished like a spectre. "And now, for the final strike." Tyrans said, gesturing. The last remaining soldier of his first wave descended on the last of the Dark Acolytes, and with that, Nox's front line was gone.

"Already your demise manifests itself." Tyrans gloated. "In my first turn I've already crushed your first line of defense."

"But will that be enough I wonder?" Nox returned the jab.

"We shall see." Tyrans said as he directed the remainder of his forces to form an inverted T-shaped formation behind his unbroken front line. "I end my turn."

The soft blue glow surrounding the simulacrum of Darth Skade grew brighter at the declaration, and Nox raised his hand to point at the Dread Guard acolyte on his right. "I attack your second Acolyte with my second Assassin." He declared, and in a blur of movement the black-robed pawn descended on the unfortunate acolyte with incredible speed. In a single strike the acolyte was impaled and collapsed to the ground, vanishing not long afterward. "Next is your marauder." Nox said, even as the assassin flew at his new target. The Dread Enforcers, which were positioned just behind the marauder, opened fire on the assassin, but he was too fast to hit.

"I think not." Tyrans countered, and suddenly the Dread Overlord performed a quick series of hand motions, unleashing a burst of power into the Dread Marauder with a combat ritual. In burst of speed and strength, the marauder engaged Nox's assassin, who missed the killing blow and was given two lightsabers through his chest in return. The dark figure collapsed to the floor and faded into nothing. The Marauder however, seemed to be all the stronger for the battle. His rage manifested around him in a palpable aura, no doubt increasing his strength and speed.

"Like a blunt instrument, you strike blindly out of fear." Tyrans taunted him.

"I'm not finished yet Tyrans." Nox replied. "I'm also attacking your other marauder with my other assassin." At his word the remaining assassin disappeared from sight, leaving the path that opened empty except for the one remaining Dread Guard Acolyte and the Dread Marauder behind him. Tyrans gestured, and the Dread Guard Overlord repeated the combat ritual, imbuing the marauder with power. The Enforcers behind him cocked their weapons and prepared to open fire. Suddenly, the marauder dodged and twisted just as a violet lightsaber blade blossomed from thin air and would have ran itself through him. Instead it only grazed him, leaving the now de-cloaked assassin vulnerable to a decapitating strike.

"Is this what you call strategy?" Tyrans laughed. "Over and over, you try and you fail."

Nox said nothing, merely pointed at the marauder he had just attacked. "My right-side Juggernaut attacks." With a massive leap, the juggernaut covered the distance between them. The Dread Enforcers opened fire on the airborne warrior, but the Force gathered around him in an unbreakable shell and deflected the blaster bolts. The Juggernaut brought his lightsaber down in a crushing overhand strike that drove the Marauder's own lightsabers, crossed in front of him in defense, back into himself. The illusionary corpse collapsed and vanished.

Nox indicated the image of Darth Raze as he declared his next move. "I use Darth Raze's Talent to attack your last marauder." Darth Raze vanished, much as the previous assassin had, and for a moment everything seemed still. Then the last Dread Marauder grunted as Raze's blade impaled him from behind. The Dread Enforcers opened fire on Raze, only for him to deflect their attacks until the walls of fire reappeared, preventing them from continuing the assault, an aura of power surrounding him as he fed off of the death of his victim.

"Next he's going to eliminate your final Acolyte." Nox declared, and the flames separating Raze from the unfortunate peon disappeared. Raze made short work of the acolyte and took his place, the flames returning to seal him off as his dark aura intensified from the slaughter. "I end my turn." Nox declared, moving Darth Skade, who's own bluish-white aura had grown stronger at his declaration, and his right-side Terentatek into a defensive formation beside the other one as he did so.

"My rightmost Enforcer attacks that Juggernaut." Tyrans said, pointing to the warrior that had eliminated the marauder last turn. The protective flames disappeared and the Enforcer opened a hailstorm of blaster bolts up on the Juggernaut. The armoured warrior deflected them with his lightsaber, but a few broke through his defense and scorched his armor. In a quick leap, he closed the distance and came down on the gunner, but his foe activated his shield at the last second. The staggered Juggernaut was immediately hit by a kinetic pulse that sent him flying back onto his own tile, and with a signal from Tyrans, the Enforcer opened fire again. This time, the bolts flew past the stunned warrior's flailing weapon, piercing shields and armor and leaving his corpse full of holes.

Tyrans laughed. "Looks like the odds are beginning to stack against you, little Sith."

"There's no such thing as luck in Kalabaan," Nox replied. "and we both know it. The victor will be the one who truly deserved to win."

"That will be me." Tyrans said, extending a hand, palm outward, towards his Dread Guard Overlord. "Asuuley tuuni verikas." He recited, and a brilliant red light began to encompass the Overlord. When the light faded, the Overlord was gone, in its place was the image of the Watchtower commander with the featureless oval helmet. "Asuuley tuuni verikas." Tyrans repeated, duplicating the process with the Dread Corrupter, who transformed into a simulacrum of the red-robed commander he had fought in the Dread Watchtower's control center.

Tyrans took a moment to analyze his next move. He regarded Nox's formation, probing it for weaknesses with his gaze. It was only after a minute of hard analysis that he realized there was none. No matter what angle he attacked Nox's forces from, no matter what units he used or in which order he used them, no matter what Talents and Skills he utilized, it would all end the same: with him at a severe disadvantage. However, he soon realized that doing nothing would place him in a very similar position. Either option would allow Nox to tip the balance and gain an unacceptable amount of momentum.

 _No,_ he thought to himself, _it can't be_. _There's no way he could have defeated me already, not in his first turn, and not after losing so much ground_!

"Any problems Tyrans?" Nox's smug voice asked from across the chamber. Tyrans gritted his teeth, enraged by his foe's arrogance and his own helplessness.

" Do not attempt to comprehend my methods." He snapped.

"I wouldn't dare dream of it." Nox's smug sarcasm was dripping from his voice, and it took great effort for Tyrans to keep his cool.

"I move my other Dread Enforcer one space forward." He said, trying to project confidence and certainty. _If I can draw him into a position where he exposes himself, I can give myself a chance to at least even the score, maybe turn things back in my favor._ He moved both of his new commanders and the Sorcerers right up behind the advancing Enforcers in an unbroken line before declaring "I end my turn."

Skade's already brilliant aura grew brighter, her Force power continuing to build with each passing cycle. Nox indicated Raze, "I use Raze's Talent." Darth Raze vanished from sight, and Tyrans braced himself for what was about to happen. Raze's blade sprouted from the Dread Shadow's chest, and a second later, the Enforcers whirled to open fire on him. The body of the Dread Shadow toppled over, and Raze barely managed to defend himself from the two streams of plasma until the fire barriers reappeared. By the time they did, the simulacrum of Raze looked battle worn. His armored robes were scorched in places, and he gave the appearance of being exhausted, despite being merely an illusion of Sith Sorcery.

"Now Tyrans," Nox taunted him. "let's see how you deal with being outmaneuvered by a real strategist." He extended his hand, palm outward, just like Tyrans had done during the previous turn. "Asuuley tuuni verikas." Nox chanted, and in a flash of light, Raze was transformed. The being that stood in his place was one that Nox knew very well, but that Tyrans had only heard described once before.

"Darth Andru..." Tyrans said, with growing horror as the realization of what was about to occur slowly dawned on him.

"Well, well." The apparition spoke, shocking both players into awestruck silence. "I never expected to see a game of Kalabaan from this angle." The pale, wiry Sith drew both of his lightsabers from his belt and thumbed their activation switches. "But I suspect it's going to be a lot of fun!"

The first to shake off his surprise, Tyrans practically shouted his response. "I use Dread Sentinel's Talent!" The blood-robed commander on the tile right next to Darth Andru vanished immediately, reappearing seconds later in the far corner on Tyrans side of the board. Tyrans allowed himself to feel a small measure of relief. He'd saved his last remaining commander, but from what he knew of Andru's capabilities, he was pretty certain he wasn't going to like what was about to happen.

Finally having recovered from his initial shock over what he had thought to be an illusion exhibiting signs of intelligence, Nox finally declared his next move. "I use Darth Skade's Talent." He said, and the illusion of Ashara used her accumulated Force power to form Force armor around each Terentatek, granting some to Darth Andru afterward. "Now, for the final nail in your coffin." Nox said with hateful glee. He extended his hand towards Ashara, "Asuuley tuuni verikas!" In a familiar flash, Darth Skade vanished, to be replaced by a dark-skinned, tattooed Sith with a deceptively calm face.

"So, you finally decided to let us out hmm?" Lord Ergast said, turning to Nox. "Did it have to be in a game of Kalabaan?"

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you Ergast." Nox retorted. "That goes for both of you." He said to both his new commanders.

Andru growled. "Normally I'd kill you for giving me an order little snake, but since these riff raff are within reach I think I'll take my anger out on them."

"Which I was going to make you do anyway." Nox said. "Ergast, use your Talent before Andru jumps the blaster."

"As you command." The Sith Lord replied bitingly. He channeled his power, then unleashed it in a series of brief hand motions, causing all of Nox's army to glow with a soft aura of power.

"Andru," Nox ordered, indicating the figure on a left diagonal from the cloaked and armored Sith "Attack that Sorcerer."

Andru grinned despite himself. "With pleasure." He hissed, and as the walls of fire came down, he descended on his victim with unnatural speed and agility, easily dodging and deflecting the bolts that the Dread Enforcer beside his target unleashed on him. In seconds he tore through his victim's defenses and sliced the illusion into pieces which dissipated before they hit the ground. Andru's dark aura grew more potent as he fed on the energies released by the simulated death, growing stronger.

"I activate Darth Andru's Talent." Nox declared, confirming Tyrans worst fears. Andru's dark aura became a bright red glow, and his rage became palpable as well as visible in the air around him. "Kill everything in your path Andru." Nox ordered.

With that, the dark-armored Sith became a ravenous beast. He tore through both the Dread Enforcers, taking their salvos as direct hits with batting an eye, eviscerating them like zucca pigs, and absorbing the Force energy they were made of. Without even pausing, he was on top of the Sorcerer and the Dread Guard soldier at the other end of the battlefield before they would have knew what had hit them, their dissolutions strengthening him all the more.

When it was all said and done, Andru looked all the stronger for the battles. Other than some cosmetic damage to his cloak and armor, he looked like he could have kept going until every last one of Tyrans minions was reduced to Force energy, had any been within reach.

"I move my rightmost Terentatek right one space." Nox said, directing the massive beast with his will into a tile diagonally adjacent to the seething, raging Andru. "I'll also move Ergast and the other Terentatek over one space as well, then end my turn."

Lord Ergast's previously diminished Force aura grew brighter as his power regenerated itself, almost as if signaling the start of Tyrans turn. Looking at the board, Tyrans knew he was in dire straits. He'd lost nearly his entire army, except for one commander and a pawn, so now his only choice was to play defensive and hold out while he waited for his opportunity to strike back. It would come, but only if he kept his last commander alive long enough...

"Asuuley tuuni verikas." He ordered, and when the flash of light faded, the image of Banok Ral, one of the commanders of the outer fortress, had replaced the Watchtower commander. "I use Banok Ral's talent," he said as the simulacrum cast a Force Barrier around itself, "and move it two spaces to my right." He glanced quickly at the board, and seeing a faint glow surrounding his last Dread Guard, he decided there wasn't any harm in risking it.

"I attack your last Juggernaut with my last Dread Guard."

"Cut off the nose to spite the face?" Nox quipped as the wall of fire separating the two combatants vanished, and they engaged in battle.

"I'm simply making use of the tools at hand." Tyrans replied as their minions continued to fight.

"Is that what you call making use?" Nox asked mockingly. Tyrans said nothing as both minions, exhausted, backed off and the wall of fire rose between them once more. Neither one had expired, but they had both suffered damage.

"I end my turn." Tyrans said. _Now,_ he thought, _it will be decided._

Ergast's dark aura grew more intense, signaling the beginning of Nox's turn. "I activate Darth Andru's Talent." He said, and once again Andru's aura transformed into a red glow of palpable rage. A pathway across the board leading directly to Banok Ral, opened up, and Andru barreled down it as his opponent readied himself. Andru attacked Ral's Force Barrier with a savagery and fury that seemed to go beyond human capacity for emotion, but the barrier seemed to hold firm. Nox felt a flicker of concern as he realized he might have just risked his advantage in a reckless maneuver, but then the barrier suddenly collapsed, leaving the enemy commander defenseless.

Unfortunately, Andru appeared to have expended all his energy in the attack, and the simulacrum of Ral took advantage of that by unleashing a blast of lightning at his foe in a counterattack. The blast made Andru stumble back, just as the wall of fire raised itself to end the battle. Determined to finish off his foe while he still had a chance, Nox gestured at Andru as he spoke the words that he hoped would be his redemption.

"Asuuley tuuni verikas." The burst of light replaced Lord Ergast with the spectre of Kalatosh Zavros, and the second burst replaced Darth Andru with the towering form of Horak-Mul.

The two quickly noticed where they were and what was going on, and Kalatosh whirled on Nox. "Really?" He questioned. "This is your legacy? Playing games like children? Whatever happened to Sith fighting their own battles?"

"Watch your tongue." Horak-Mul threatened him. "Kalabaan is no mere game. It is the greatest contest of wits ever devised, something I doubt you would understand."

"What I understand is that we've graduated from being prisoners to game pieces!" Kalatosh retorted. "First he binds us, then he traps us, now he's using us for amusement!"

"Kalabaan is not for amusement." Horak-Mul said gravely. "It is the highest form of contest known to the Sith. Engaging in a game of Kalabaan is to put not just one's own life or soul at risk, but to risk being responsible for the elevation of your foe. If he had the courage to accept the challenge then we should do our part gladly."

"But don't you know what that means if he loses?" Kalatosh nearly screamed. "If he loses we get turned into raw Force energy, no more him, no more afterlife, no more us!"

"I would think that would be all the motivation you need not to lose." Horak replied.

"Not that either of you could disobey me anyway." Nox added.

"Damn you! Damn you all!" Kalatosh raged.

"I attack your last Dread Guard with my last Juggernaut." Nox said to Tyrans, as the wall of flames came down and the battle began again in earnest. Bolstered by the Force presences of both Kalatosh and Horak-Mul, Nox's minion had the clear advantage and crushed the soldier easily. Kalatosh's Force aura grew brighter as Nox declared the end of his turn.

Tyrans couldn't help it. He began to laugh. "Fool!" He spat. "Witness my mastery!" Darkness began to shroud the Dread Master's form, and his laugh became an echo. Suddenly, a cloud of dark smoke surrounded Banok Ral, and malevolent energy began to build in the vortex. Then, with an explosion of energy, the smoke dispersed, and Tyrans stood where Banok Ral had been. The Dread Master's booming laugh echoed through the chamber, and his eyes began to glow a brilliant red from the darkness behind his eye slits. Horak-Mul, his face twisted in both disbelief and fear, stood frozen as the strength was drained from his body and the courage from his heart. The wall of fire separating them collapsed, and Tyrans attacked.

Horak-Mul tried to defend himself, but under the effects of the Dread Master's overwhelming power to inflict terror and the potency of his sorcery, the pureblood Sith's defenses were practically non-existent, and his counterattacks were useless. Tapping into the bond between them, Nox took over Horak-Mul and summoned all the power the ancient Sith Lord could muster. Horak-Mul's eyes and hands began to shine with electric energy as Nox tapped into the Dark Lord's command of Sith Lightning. He unleashed it in a massive blast that thundered towards Tyrans like a raging river of power. Tyrans raised a hand, and a Force Barrier sprang to life around him. The deluge of lightning didn't break over the shield like water over a rock however, it clung to the barrier like a static charge. Individual volts finding weaknesses and holes, slipping through to shock Tyrans even as he struggled to maintain his concentration against the burgeoning power.

In the end, Horak-Mul didn't have enough power to break through the Dread Master's defenses, and the lightning storm faded as Horak-Mul dropped to the ground exhausted and drained.

"Promise me, Nox." He said urgently in a hoarse, raspy voice as Tyrans approached his prone body. "Promise me you'll win!"

"You have my word." Nox promised. The ancient Sith closed his eyes, and Tyrans drove his lightsaber through his chest. With an explosion of dark energy, the body disappeared, Tyrans feeding on some of the residual energies to strengthen himself.

"You have no hope now." Tyrans taunted him.

Nox smiled darkly, "I've never needed hope." and Tyrans noticed a dark aura beginning to form around Nox.

"Impossible." He said incredulously. "You know-"

"I know more than you ever will." Nox replied, as the darkness began to swirl around him, forming a vortex much like it had with Tyrans. The same aura formed around Kalatosh, and with an explosion of dark energy, the other Sith was gone, and Darth Nox was standing in his place.

"Now it's you and me Tyrans." Nox asserted, his eyes glowing with violet light as the Dark Side swirled around him. "Looks like we really are going to fight after all." A path opened before him, and he advanced towards Tyrans, stopping two spaces away from the Dread Master. "Now come and get me."

Tyrans laughed, and Nox felt a familiar shift in the Dark Side as Tyrans summoned the power of the other Dread Masters to add to his own. "Your ambition will be your downfall." Tyrans said as his body was enveloped in a red and black aura. His booming laugh once more began to echo, as his form became shrouded in a red and black mist that seemed to have manifested itself from nowhere.

Abruptly, the sphere of pure Dark Side energy unleashed a wave of power that annihilated every illusion in the room, leaving only Nox and the sphere of energy behind. Nox felt a sudden overwhelming terror begin to swallow him up, and heard Tyran's voice echo in the corridors of his mind. "Give yourself to oblivion."

That sound, that dreadful, terrible sound filled his ears again. He felt the ice-cold breath on the back of his neck, cold as the abyss, and felt the harrowing presence of Death fall over him. His legs went rigid and his body froze in place. The sphere of power that Tyrans had become floated towards him, tentacles of dark energy reaching out to wrap him in their entropic grasp and drain him of his power, his life, his very being. He felt like he was in a nightmare, only this was real. He couldn't move. He tried to turn and run but his body and mind both betrayed him, remaining frozen.

"Is this how it ends?" He thought as he felt a skeletal hand rest on his shoulder. "Do I die here? Having come so far only to fall to that which I have devoted my entire life to escaping?" He lost all sensation of the world outside himself, and felt only the cold embrace of the void. Floating in the endless black, he felt his thoughts and memories slipping away, replaced by a strange kind of peace. The utter stillness that came with absence and emptiness. Who was he? What was he? He knew he had something important to do, something he had to remember...but what was it?

He didn't know how long he stayed like that, but suddenly he remembered something.

 _Peace is a lie._

He grasped at the thought, like a drowning man reaching for an object to hold on to.

 _Peace is a lie._

Yes, he thought, Peace is a lie.

 _Peace is a lie!_

He forced himself to finish the thought, reciting the words that he had carved into his very being since the day he first heard them.

 _Peace is a lie. There is only Passion._

 _Through Passion I gain Strength._

 _Through Strength I gain Power._

 _Through Power I gain Victory,_

 _and through Victory my chains are Broken._

 _The Force shall set me free._

 _The Force shall set me free._

 _The Force...shall set me...FREE!_

Tyrans, immersed thoroughly in the sphere of dark energy surrounding his physical form, regarded his helpless prey as he closed in. Darth Nox had gone rigid like a corpse, his mind and heart frozen by the overwhelming power of terror. Despite the Dark Lord's might, he was no match for the combined powers of Tyrans and his brothers and sisters. As he closed in on the petrified Nox, Tyrans extended his Force reach to seize upon his foe's mind and unravel it in the abyss he had crafted from the Dark Lord's own deepest and darkest fear. Death.

Suddenly, he felt something. Something, odd. It was a shift in the Force, but like none he had ever experienced. It wasn't so much like a tectonic shift, as most shifts were. Instead it was more like something new had simply appeared, a deeper, darker vacuum within the void of the Dark Side that displaced the Dark Side itself. In that moment, Tyrans felt the first flicker of doubt. Then he saw the purple glow alighting in the still petrified Nox's eyes, piercing his helm's one-way lenses from the inside, as an ominous aura of inky black darkness began to shroud his enemy's form. The darkness quickly became a whirlwind of living shadow, and Tyrans realized with growing fear that something horrible was happening. Something he didn't understand, something he hadn't even thought to plan for.

He became the petrified one, as the vortex of darkness grew larger and began to batter the opaque sphere of dark energy that surrounded him. The darkness surrounding his former prey didn't feel so much dark as it felt black. It felt like standing on the edge of the abyss, staring into its depths, unable to look away. He felt every fiber of his being, whether mundane or ethereal, shudder involuntarily as the fear he had sought to inflict suddenly blossomed in the now fertile ground of his own heart.

With mounting horror, he saw a pair of glowing purple orbs alight within the depths of the swirling black tornado. They were spaced too far apart and were too large to be Nox's eyes, or the eyes of any being or form small enough to be hidden by the vortex. Yet Tyrans _knew_ they were staring at him, that they didn't just see him but saw _through_ him, and the fear that had sprouted in his soul blossomed into the fully-formed flower of terror.

"Who are you!?" He demanded, his voice for once losing its deep bass and becoming a terrified baritone.

" _ **I am Death**_."

The voice spoke purely in his mind, except it wasn't mere telepathy, but rather a transfer of knowledge from one ethereal being to another. The words pierced his mind and soul, rooting themselves in his very essence, corrupting it by their mere presence, and forcing his powers to abandon him, as if in flight.

The dark vortex suddenly began to expand rapidly, tearing through the ball of dark energy that surrounded Tyrans and encompassing him in seconds. He tried to scream as the darkness began to devour the flesh from bones, erasing his body from existence like a swarm of locusts devouring a field of vegetation, but he heard no sound. Nothing but the hollow roaring of the dark winds that were wiping him from the galaxy. Just before he lost all sense of himself, he felt a tug, like a hand grabbing him by the collar and yanking him backward, and as he felt the corrosive touch of the darkness consuming his body fade, he managed to breathe out a single parting sentence.

"This was but a game. The true test is yet to come..."

From the moment Nox entered the chambers of Dread Master Calphayus, he knew this trial would not be like the others.

"You've arrived." Calphayus said, raising his head from its bowed position and dropping his clasped hands to his sides. "Then you have survived your previous trials as I foresaw."

"And just what do you have in store Calphayus?" Nox asked, taking on a remarkably civil tone.

The Dread Master gave a sinister chuckle in reply. "You cannot receive insight so easily, you must earn it."

"Then perhaps we should dispense with these riddles and nonsense and get down to it." Nox said, his civil tone vanishing to be replaced by frigid airs.

"Do not make light of this." Calphayus scolded him. "I see you. I see your true self. I see your future, your past, your doom!" His hands shot forward in a summoning posture, and he became cloaked in an aura of power. Taken by surprise, Nox felt the world spin around him, then vanish into the depths of the vortex in which he now found himself. Just before he lost consciousness, he wondered if he had made a terrible mistake.

Little Teri stood shivering in the cold winds of Skull Grotto. The filthy rags wrapped around his small frame did little to protect him from the chilling bite of the air currents as they sapped the warmth from his body. In front of him, rising into the sky like a monument to fear and death, was The Skull: A large rock formation that looked harrowingly similar to its namesake, and served as the entrance to a vast network of caves that burrowed deep into Dathomir's surface. It was also home to a monstrous creature older than the rocks themselves, a beast born of nightmares and hate.

Teri had come here with his mother, she had told him to wait outside while she went in to get whatever it was they had come here for. That had been at dusk, but it was night now. Teri had been standing in the cold for what felt like hours, staring into the impenetrable darkness filling the gaping, yawning maw of The Skull, waiting to see his mother emerge, but she never did. The thought that maybe the Beast had gotten her flashed through his mind, but he shook his head to banish it. His mother was strong, she would never fall to such a creature, she would never leave him alone in the world, she-

His thought was cut off by the very loud, very deep growl that suddenly came from somewhere behind him. Teri stood stock still and stiffened like a corpse, his little ears listening as intently as they could as his panicked mind raced through possibilities at light speed. Being a child of almost 3 years, his imagination was more than developed enough to present him with a series of possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. He wanted to turn around to put all his fears to rest and assure himself there was nothing there, but his body was petrified with fear, and the only thing he could do was stand as still as stone, hoping that he was just imagining things.

He felt a dark presence sweep over him, and his fear blossomed into terror. He felt the source of the presence drawing closer, approaching him from behind, and tears began to stream silently down his face as he soiled himself. Suddenly, he felt a cold breeze on his neck, colder than any of the winds that been howling through the grotto minutes earlier. The chill made his skin feel like ice, and he felt the call of the abyss.

Unleashing a scream, Teri took off blindly at a full run. So terrified was he, that he didn't notice or care that he was running straight into the mouth of The Skull, straight into the darkness.

Teri trudged along in the dark. His eyes had adjusted to the deep darkness long ago, but that still didn't help him figure out where he was or how to get out. He felt like he'd been walking for hours, a fact his feet reminded him of with every step. He wanted to lay down and rest, but the thought of that icy breath on his neck gave him a new dose of adrenaline. He was tired, terrified, and miserable. Tears fell continuously down his face, but he released no sobs or hiccups. There was no noise except for the sound of his feet hitting the stone floor, and a low, continuous, hollow roar, like the howling of spirits, that always seemed to be coming from deeper into the tunnel, no matter which way he turned or what tunnel he took. He'd already passed through several forks and intersections, and there was no telling how many he had passed through when he was running from the Beast. He was thoroughly and utterly lost.

The tunnel finally opened into a much wider, more cavernous tunnel, where fields of stalagmite formations with a hole in the top of each of them covered the majority of the floor and walls. The new tunnel was softly lit by glowing blue moss that formed colonies on the strange formations. As Teri continued along the path that seemed to have been worn through the strange landscape, he suddenly heard a noise coming from one of the larger formations nearby.

Overcome with relief, he scrambled over the few stalagmites in his way to reach the one from which the noise had come. "Mommy?" He called out. "Mommy, it's me!" He reached the structure and mounted it so he could peer into the sizeable hole. "Mommy?" The darkness inside remained still and silent, that is, until a pair of tiny, glowing red slits opened and glared directly at him. Teri was frozen in fear, and watched petrified as more red eyes materialized in the darkness, filling the void with the angry glares of a thousand demons.

In an explosion of beating wings, the creatures flew at him, biting, scratching and clawing at his eyes and face. When he threw up his hands to try and beat them off, they gnawed and grasped at his fingers and arms, teeth and claws digging into his flesh and leaving deep, bleeding furrows in his skin. Teri ran down the path to try and get away, his teeth clenched and his hands flying in every direction as he tried in vain to beat them off. His tired legs and worn feet burned with pain, but he didn't even notice. He ran blindly, occasionally stumbling and tripping in his mad dash to escape his furious tormentors.

Then he felt his heart stop when his next step didn't touch the floor, and for a moment he felt himself tumbling down, down into the dark abyss, into the waiting jaws of the Beast. Then he hit water, and with it came sweet relief. Unwilling to follow their victim, the winged residents of the caves had ceased their assault. For a moment, Teri considered staying underwater for as long as possible, but then his lungs protested, and he burst to the surface, gasping for air. He swam to the edge of the pool, clung to a ledge that jutted out from the rock wall, and stayed there, shivering.

His legs and feet hung uselessly in the water behind him, and he took the moment to enjoy the rest, despite the piercing cold and the realization that he no longer had any clothes. The rags he had been wearing had been so scratched and torn by the winged creatures that had attacked him, that when he hit the water they must have slipped right off and sank to the bottom.

At least he was safe here. The creatures from before hadn't followed him down here, and the Beast…the thought trailed off as he realized he was a sitting duck. If the Beast found him here, there was nowhere to run or hide, he would be trapped. Panic gave him new energy, and he quickly began moving around the edge of the pool, searching for a way out. His heart flooded with relief as he found a path, seemingly carved out of the stone, spiraling up to the top.

In a few minutes, Teri was once more walking down a tunnel, naked and shivering but alive. He had to find mommy. That was his only hope. If he could find her, she could protect him from the Beast and they could go home together. Without her, he would wander down here, trapped, until either the Beast or hunger got him. He had to keep moving, he had to find her.

As he walked, he forced his voice out from between his trembling lips in a low call that echoed softly and eerily down the tunnel: "Mooooommmyyyyyyy…" He listened intently, hoping against hope for a reply. Nothing. He tried again, this time slightly louder: "Moooooommmyyyyyyyy". Listening to the echo, he realized it sounded like the haunted call of the spirits he had seen Mommy and the others summon back in the village, and the thought brought back the memory of the Beast, and of its chilling breath on his neck.

The tunnel eventually opened into a large cavern with no floor. His only way forward was a path carved into the stone wall that ran left of the tunnel he had emerged from. Thick steam was rising from the dark abyss below, and Teri could feel the heat it brought. The change in temperature relieved him of his chills, but for some reason, Teri felt more afraid. The moment he stepped into the cavern, apprehension rooted itself in his brain and he felt like he was being watched. Trying to ignore the feeling, he turned and began to walk down the pathway away from the tunnel, softly calling out to his mother to comfort himself with the sound of his own voice. His fear made him stutter, and even as he spoke, he thought he heard the same low growl he had heard outside The Skull. Every hair on his body stood up and goose bumps spread across his flesh. On instinct he whirled around to look behind him, and saw…nothing.

His fear was not satiated however, and even as he turned back and continued on his way, he still felt like he was being watched. What little Teri hadn't seen was the malevolent, inhuman face sneering at him that had formed out of the steam, vanishing just moments before he had turned to look back.

After reaching the end of the path carved in the wall of the steam-filled cavern, Teri had once more found himself faced with the deeper darkness of another tunnel. He had been traveling through it for a while now without encountering any forks or intersections. The cuts on his arms, face, and hands had already started to scab over, and the blood surrounding them had started to dry. They still stung however, and his feet and legs were beginning to feel tired again.

He entered a large cavern that looked normal compared to the ones he had passed through before, but once his eyes adjusted, he could make out a strange silhouette standing in the center. As he looked harder, he realized it has a humanoid form, and a thought possessed him. "Mommy?" he called out. "Mommy!" He cried, running to his mother. Her back was turned to him so he couldn't see her face. "Mommy! It's me, mommy!" He grabbed her hand when he reached her, and felt chills sweep over his body. It was ice cold.

Slowly, she turned to face him, and horror overcame him. Her face was gone. In its place was a mass of rotten flesh barely covering an exposed skull. Maggots crawled in and out of her empty eye sockets and nostrils, and her mouth was a skeletal grimace.

"What's the matter Teri?" She asked, her lipless, mouth opening and closing as she spoke, revealing her decaying, maggot-infested tongue. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

Teri tried to scream, but the sound caught in his throat. He could only stare at the horrifying creature as it leaned over him.

"Come on Teri." His mother said, "Let's go home together."

Just then, Teri saw it. Behind the abomination that may or may not have been his mother, was the Beast of The Skull. It was massive. Its body was made of living shadow that moved and rippled like a liquid. Its eyes were slanted, evil red slits on a face that was nowhere near human. Its gaping maw was a cruel muzzle with massive, sharp teeth that resembled huge ritual knives. Its long, bone-skinny limbs, of which there were six, ended in oversized talon-like claws just as long as its teeth. The dull, hollow roar Teri had been hearing in the tunnels, and had gotten so used to, was emanating from it.

In that instant, Teri knew he was going to die, and that's when everything clicked. He remembered who he was. He was no longer the terrified boy who had gotten lost in those caves so long ago; he was no longer the weak, mewling little lamb that had been terrified of his own shadow. He was no longer weak, he was no longer afraid, he _was_ fear. His anger, his fury, his hate, they all came rushing back to him, filling him with strength and power. Suddenly, he was no longer two feet tall, but six. He was no longer naked, but wearing his familiar armor and skull-faced helm, with his lightsaber clipped to his belt. He was no longer cold and afraid, but filled with the infernal heat of rage.

He drew his lightsaber just as the beast lunged, and impaled the reanimated corpse of his mother through her gut. The Beast stopped cold, and then unleashed a howl of agony.

"Enough, Calphayus!" Nox bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the vision-world. "I've passed your test!"

Calphayus's familiar, sinister laughter was his response, and Nox noticed that it was coming from the impaled illusion of his mother's corpse. Her rotting face was thrown back in laughter, her grimacing mouth thrown open.

"Oh no, Teridax." Calphayus said with obvious glee. "The true test has only just begun."

Everything around Nox began to waver and shift. The Beast evaporated as his mother's corpse dissolved into dust. The cavern began to wobble like a sheet of flimsy being shaken by a child, then the floor gave way, and Nox found himself plummeting into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, he found himself lying face-down on the rocky ground. Getting to his feet, he took stock of his surroundings. He stood on a wide, level platform of rock that seemed to be a natural formation. The area was brightly illuminated, but not by the piercing golden light of a star, rather by the soft light of a moon. Nox glanced up at the brilliant white orb shining down on him from the night sky, and a chill ran down his spine.

There were no stars. Other than the incredibly large moon, the only objects in the dark and dusky sky were several dark clouds that moved steadily despite the noticeable lack of wind. Possessed by an apprehensive curiosity, Nox approached the edge of the platform, and peered over. Vertigo and primal terror mingled in his cortex as he stared into the bottomless abyss that was a mixture of very dark blues and dull greens, mimicking the sky on a planet where the sun had slipped below the horizon enough to shroud its natural light from view, but not so much that it left the sky black. Pulling back from the edge and backing away, Nox tried to organize his thoughts, and failed.

Wherever he was, it was not anywhere in the universe he recognized. It reminded him more of the strange universe he had glimpsed through the eyes of the strange abomination he had encountered in the hypergate on Asation. The coloration of the "sky" made no sense, as did the presence of a lunar satellite in the absence of any landmass besides the floating platform on which Nox currently found himself. The thought that the landmass on which he stood might, at any moment, plummet into the depths of-of-wherever this was threatened to flood his mind and body with fear.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. The platform, much like the rest of this place, seemed perfectly capable and content to defy any law of gravity that existed here and continue floating, despite Nox experiencing no noticeable change in the gravity he normally experienced. Wherever this place was, it defied all natural laws and laws of physics, which meant he had to be ready for anything.

Looking straight up, he saw the sky became a progressively deeper blue until, at the point directly above him, it seemed to become pure black. While he pondered what this could mean, he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again from behind him.

"Beautiful, isn't it apprentice?"

Nox whirled to see his old master, Darth Zash, standing behind him. However, he immediately noticed that something was off. Her skin was a blackish- gray, and the more he looked at her the more it seemed less like skin, and more like solid shadows. Her robes were a much darker black, and her hair was a lighter gray than her skin. What struck him most were the eyes. They weren't normal, they weren't even human. They looked more like the eyes of a Chiss, except they glowed with sinister intent, and she was cloaked in an aura of shadow, as if her body was composed of dark flames.

The shadowy imitation of Zash put her hand on her hip. "What's wrong apprentice? Is that any way to greet your old master?" Her voice was familiar, but the tone was mocking.

"You always did need a lesson in showing the proper respect." Came yet another voice Nox had feared he would hear. He turned to see a shadow version of Thanaton standing off to the side. Nox could have sworn he wasn't there before. "Perhaps we shall have to teach you."

"Yes!" Came a voice that surprised Nox more than either of the previous ones. "Teach him a lesson!" Nox turned once more to see a shadow of Rylee Dray. Now he was surrounded on all sides, with his back to the edge. "Teach that no-good traitor that he can't just get away with everything he's done!" The voice was unmistakably Rylee's, but Nox had never heard it tainted with such venom and hatred before.

"Did you know this would happen?" The shadow of Rylee glowered as she and the others began to close in on him. "Did you know when you abandoned us to those charlatans and thieves on Nar Shadda that I'd find you and seek revenge? Would you still do it?" Her words were brimming with animosity and her eyes almost seemed to be on fire.

"I made a mistake." Nox admitted.

"Gods don't make mistakes!" Rylee yelled. "What kind of god abandons his own people? His own faithful?"

"You're no god." Thanaton said derisively. "You're just a pretender and a false Sith."

"You couldn't even get rid of me." Zash accused. "You locked me away because you were too weak to kill me once and for all!"

Nox clasped his hands over his ears, but it did nothing to block out their voices.

"You were a failure as an apprentice." Zash mocked him.

"You bring nothing but shame to the name of Sith." Thanaton denounced.

"You're no god." Rylee accused. "You're nothing but a pathetic failure."

"SHUT UUUUP!" Nox screamed. A blast of Dark Side energy exploded out of him, wiping away the shadows as they unleashed haunting screams of hatred and frustration. Nox stood there for a moment, panting heavily as he tried to gather himself. When he could finally think straight, he stopped and took another look around. He noticed there seemed to be another floating island off in the distance. When he moved towards the edge of the platform, rocks suddenly appeared from below, forming a broken path across the void to the other island.

Nox only hesitated a moment to test whether the path would support him and not collapse the moment he put his weight on it. When it held, he stepped out onto the unnatural bridge and began making his way across. As he drew closer to the island, he noticed it was covered in trees and vegetation. It also seemed to be significantly bigger than the one he had come from. When he reached the island, he stepped off the floating path, and it collapsed, vanishing below.

Nox stood there for a moment, regarding the completely silent forest in front of him. Illuminated by the unnaturally bright light of the large moon, but vacant of any movement or noise indicating the presence of life, the forest seemed eerie and eldritch rather than normal. Steeling himself, Nox entered, making his way through the perfectly still trees, the foliage casting long shadows on the forest floor. It was so picturesque it might have been beautiful, were it not for the current situation. It was a few minutes later when Nox realized that he should have reached the other side of the island by now. Turning back, he couldn't see the edge he had arrived on, only a seemingly endless forest.

Squashing the growing sense of unease that tried to wiggle its way into his brain, Nox continued on. Not long after, he arrived at a rather primitive-looking domicile. It seemed to be made of wood and some kind of bleached, solid stone similar to permacrete. Despite the dwelling's simple design, it had an extremely rustic sort of charm. It looked very…homey.

"Daddy!" He heard a child's voice call from behind him. He turned in confusion, and saw two children, a boy and girl rushing towards him with the most excited looks he had ever seen on two children's faces. The girl was a Togruta, and the boy a Dathomirian Zabrak. Nox did a double take, and realized something that served to confuse him even more. The girl looked a lot like Ashara, different in subtle ways, but it was obvious who her mother was. The boy was the spitting image of Nox. Other than having different tattoos he had the same lean build, the same piercing eyes, the same formation of horns…

For a moment Nox struggled to process what he was seeing, then he realized why the children were running towards him. I'm…their father? The notion seemed ridiculous, yet he couldn't deny the genetic similarities between these younglings and him and Ashara.

"Daddy! I'm so glad you're home!" The little girl squealed, attacking his legs like a hungry K'lor'slug, wrapping her tiny little arms around him.

"Dad, can you teach me some new staff techniques?" The boy asked, his wide eyes looking up at Nox with a mixture of anticipation and hope. "I've been practicing the stuff you taught me, and I'm ready for some new moves!"

Nox's confusion had morphed into determination, and he decided it best to play along to get what he needed.

"Actually I was looking for your mother, do you know where she is?"

"Mommy went up to the clearing to watch the moon." The little girl said. "She told us to tell you to come and see her when you got back."

"Then I'll do just that." Nox said, untangling himself from the persistent embrace of the young girl. "Although, I seem to have forgotten which way to go." The girl giggled.

"Silly daddy. You just go that way." She indicated the proper direction, and Nox reached down and rubbed her headtails as thanks. "What would daddy do without you?" He pretended to tease her, thankful that his ancestor's mask hid his expression.

The girl giggled again, and the two younglings scampered into the house as Nox departed in the direction he had been told to go. After less than a minute of travel, he started ascending a hill, the brilliant light of the moon shining down from the top. He had no doubt the view of it from the top would be rather spectacular.

He was not disappointed. Upon reaching the summit and entering the clearing that was his destination, he was greeted to the sight of the immense white orb showering the clearing with its soft white beams. The scene seemed downright magical. He was so caught up in the sight that he failed to notice Ashara standing in the center of the clearing until she spoke to him.

"Amazing, isn't it?" She asked, causing Nox to stop a few meters from her.

"What's going on Ashara?" He asked in a deeply serious tone. "What is this place? Why are our-" he paused, struggling to get the word out "-offspring running about that primitive construct?"

Her head, which up to that point had been tilted back staring at the moon, fell into a lowered position. Nox recognized the movement as an indication that she was trying to suppress her emotions. She turned to face him, the moon clearly illuminating her from behind.

"Because Teri," she said. "this is our life."

"I don't remember this part of the plan." Nox said. "Nowhere in our plan to rule the galaxy as Emperor and Empress do I recall us living in a makeshift hovel."

Ashara shook her head, biting her lip in repressed exasperation. "We gave that up a long time ago, don't you remember?"

"No." Nox stated flatly, "I don't."

"We realized what that power would do to us." Ashara said, as if this had all happened not too long ago. "We realized that if we continued down that path, we would become nothing more than the tyrants and monsters we sought to liberate people from."

Nox couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd always feared that one day Ashara's conditioning would break and she would realize that she was going down the path to the Dark Side, but she seemed to be implying that he somehow agreed to this, this peasant's life.

"When I confronted you about it, you saw the truth I did, and we left the Empire and our old lives behind forever. We settled on an Outer Rim planet, built a home from almost nothing, lived off the land, and then…" She paused, as if hurt by his lack of reaction, "then a miracle happened, two to be exact. When I got pregnant with Ashatta I couldn't believe it at first, but eventually I knew. Then, not a year later, Zaalix came along. The Force blessed us with children, despite it being impossible." Thanks to the moonlight streaming down from above, the subtle glint of tears could be seen in the corner of her eyes. "Are you telling me you've forgotten the births of your own children?"

"I haven't forgotten," Nox said coldly. "because those children don't exist."

The look of horror and shock on Ashara's face stung him. More intensely and more deeply than he would have believed possible. She stood in heartbroken silence, tears streaming freely down her face, her mouth open in a permanent expression of horror at his statement. When he didn't react, she lowered her head and covered her mouth with a closed fist.

"It's not too late." She said in a barely audible whisper.

"What?" Nox asked in genuine confusion.

"It's not too late." She repeated. "We can still have this, you don't have to do this."

"Do what?" Nox pressed her. "What are you talking about?" Ashara pressed her hands to her temples, her breath coming sobbing gasps and her moist cheeks glistening in the moonlight.

"PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS!" She screamed, her sobs forcing her to gasp for air. "CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING? CAN'T YOU SEE HOW THIS POWER IS CORRUPTING YOU?"

"Power is all that matters." Nox replied, the fires of his fury slowly building. He was angry, at himself for allowing things to get this far, for allowing himself to have genuine feelings for her, and at her for being so stubborn and strong-willed.

"Please." She said, raising her head to look him in the eye, "Please Teri, don't do this, can't you see the monster you're becoming?"

Suddenly, Nox felt as if he were no longer in control. His own voice spoke, yet he hadn't thought the words, or willed his mouth to say them. "All I see is a chain that needs to be broken."

Ashara's pupils dilated and she froze, letting out a single breath as a squeaking sob. Then, when she felt the fist go through her abdomen, she opened her mouth to try and gasp, but only a trail of blood came out, trickling from the right corner of her mouth down to her chin. She tried to speak, but only empty hiccups came. She turned her head to look Nox in the eyes, her own filled with more suffering, shock, and betrayal than any Nox had ever seen.

"Why…" She gasped as he withdrew his arm from her and she collapsed to the ground. For a moment, Nox just stood there; staring at the blood-soaked arm that he had driven through the only woman he had ever truly loved. It was only after a few moments of staring at it that he realized it wasn't the arm he recognized. It was much thicker, more muscular, and covered in black scales. The hand was a claw, with sharp talons for fingernails. His gaze travelled over the rest of his body, and he realized it was not the one he recognized. The entirety of his form was covered in black scales just like his arm. His torso was still humanoid, but his legs, while thick and muscular, ended in a four-toed claw-like foot. Feeling something on his back, he shifted his shoulders and felt something move. When he flexed his back muscles, he felt a disturbance in the air around him. He quickly realized he had massive, leathery wings. Reaching up to his head, he felt a pair of curved twin horns protruding from his forehead.

Slowly, he turned his attention from his own monstrous form, to the broken form of his former lover, and it began to dawn on him what he'd done. He reared back his head and roared in anguish. The sound seemed to split the sky, rising into the infinite heavens like a beacon, carrying his rage, his sorrow, his regret, his suffering with it. Not even thinking, Nox crouched down and leaped straight up into the air. His wings unfurled themselves and bore him up, a strong wind rising out of nowhere to give him height and distance.

He flew. He knew not for how long. He didn't care. All he wanted was to outrun the memory of what he'd done. But he couldn't, it kept pace with him as if it were the wind itself. Eventually he saw another floating island, this one adorned only with a crystal clear pool of water that reflected the luminous moon on its glassy surface. Landing next to the pool, he dropped to his hands and knees before it, staring at his demonic reflection in the makeshift mirror. His new visage made a mockery of his old one. The horns that other species might have referred to as "demonic" were gone, replaced with the thick, twisted, deadly-looking pieces of bone that sprouted from his forehead and curved up and back. His face was also covered in black scales, with intense purple eyes set deep into his brow. His nose was flat and wide, and a beard of bone spikes emerged from his chin and jaw line, while his brow was slanted so that he always look at least slightly malevolent and sinister.

"What have I done?" He said, staring at the monster in his reflection. "Oh Force what have I done?" His mind was a storm of emotions that consumed him, preventing him from forming any coherent thought other than that of Ashara's broken body lying in the clearing, illuminated in grisly detail by the moonlight. He wanted to weep, but tears wouldn't come. Being unable to properly express his anguish and sorrow made it all the more intense and painful. It became so bad he couldn't stand it.

"Look at you," a dark voice said, thick with revulsion. "mourning for the chains you have broken. Your weakness disgusts me."

Nox's head shot up to see who could possibly be speaking to him. He was shocked when he saw a face much like his new one, only the eyes held nothing but contempt and pride. The being was like him in almost every way, except below the waist his body dissolved into shadowy tendrils that trailed behind him wherever he moved. Although his wings were extended, they didn't seem to facilitate his flight. He moved as a spirit, unencumbered by a physical form.

"You behave like a lost child who has broken his favorite toy," The entity sneered, his voice hauntingly familiar. "how despicable." Nox growled.

"Silence your tongue."

"Or what?" The dark being sneered. "You'll rip it out? Like you did to poor Ashara's insides?"

Nox lunged blindly, his massive claws grasping for the smug entity's neck, but with an outstretched hand, the entity unleashed a storm of pitch-black lightning that knocked Nox back on his haunches and left him screaming in pain. The agony was like nothing he'd ever felt before, it could only be described as transcendent. His mind started to go blank from the sheer overload, when the pain mercifully stopped. It took him a moment to realize it was because the entity had ceased to channel the black lightning.

"If we are to become what destiny has ordained us to be," the being lectured, as if Nox was nothing more than a mere apprentice, and it his master. "then you must learn to access the source of true power, and forsake all the vices of mortality." Finally catching his breath, Nox snarled.

"Do not presume to lecture me about pow-aAAGGGGHHHH!" his retort was cut off when he was once more enveloped in black volts of energy. The entity let him suffer for a few moments to reinforce the point, then ceased.

"You must learn to not merely hate individuals, systems, or societies. Even hating entire galaxies or universes full of sentients is not enough. You must learn to hate existence itself."

Nox felt the urge to say something, but when he remembered the pain of the entity's lightning he restrained himself.

"The seed must be planted," The entity continued. "but that cannot happen until you suffer."

The black bolts of energy wrapped Nox in their agonizing grip, and he screamed.

"Remember," the entity sneered. "you killed her. You broke her heart, shattered her soul, then drove your fist through her, through the very same place where she had felt your love so many times before."

At those words, something snapped inside Nox. He no longer felt the pain, and he rose to his feet as the surprised entity turned the storm into a sphere of black energy. For a moment Nox was encompassed, then a purple glow broke through the black. The shadow energy began to fade as Nox absorbed it, his eyes shining like purple stars, violet lightning gathering in them and around his arms and hands.

Nox unleashed his might on the shadow entity, and when the torrent of energy struck the spirit it dispersed, the shadows it dissolved into melding with Nox. Nox could feel the shadows rooting themselves deep inside him, and as he stood to his full height, for the first time he felt truly liberated. There was nothing holding him back. Just then, he perceived that he was being watched. Lifting up his eyes towards the moon, he saw something that made him blink and look closer.

Hovering in front of the brilliant white orb, silhouetted against it, was a being of vaguely humanoid shape. It appeared to be a humanoid with an extremely slim build and narrow shoulders, dressed in a heavy, dark, hooded cloak that was far larger than it and that seemed to have no sleeves. Even at this distance, Nox knew that there was nothing underneath that hood, nothing but an empty, black void. At the end of the cloak, where one might expect to see legs, there were instead a spread of tentacles too numerous to count. As Nox stared at the thing, he could feel its gaze on him. It knew he was watching it, it knew him as intimately as if it could see into the depths of his soul, see his every secret, his every thought, his every motivation and belief laid bare. Nox could feel its gaze pierce his form and see him for what he truly was. The experience was harrowing beyond words.

The world started to spin, and the last thought Nox had before he lost consciousness was that he had just come face to face with something no sane being would ever wish to.

Nox came to with a start, and seconds later his feet slammed into the ground and he crumpled onto his hands and knees while he got his bearings. When he stood up and looked around Calphayus's chamber, he realized that the Dread Master was gone.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard Calphayus's voice whisper in his head:

"My visions are unchanged. Destiny awaits you."

When Nox entered the chambers of Dread Master Raptus, he instantly felt the mesmerizing presence of the de-facto leader of the Masters sweep over him. It was like the urge to sleep, only hundreds of times more potent, and Nox had summon the power borrowed from his children just to keep his eyelids from fluttering closed. "Such a mind." Raptus exclaimed. He was seated comfortably on his throne at the far end of the room. He looked for all the world like the god of nightmares that Nox himself was named after. "Such fertile ground for terror." Raptus continued, standing to his feet. Every word from him was like a dose of a powerful sleep drug, and when the Dread Master spoke Nox found it increasingly difficult to stay conscious and keep control over his mind and body.

"Why did you and the other Masters seek power Raptus?" Nox asked, his words slurring slightly. "You must have known that whatever gains you would make would merely draw the attention and ire of Vitiate, so why risk it?" Raptus chuckled.

"Do not seek reason." He said with a hint of scorn. "You cannot comprehend." His voice, laced with the immense hypnotic power of the Dark Side and coupled with his presence in the Force, wormed its way into Nox's mind like an alien parasite. The Dark Lord summoned his full power to purge himself of the steadily growing influence, and the act temporarily returned Nox to a more coherent state of mind, but he was only delaying the inevitable.

"I comprehend madness well enough." Nox retorted. "Let me release you and your siblings from your suffering and return order and sanity to your union."

"Sanity is a prison." Raptus admonished. "Let madness release you."

He raised his hand, and a black and red aura surrounded it, swirling as he brought his full power to bear on Nox. Weakened by his previous trials, Nox actually struggled to resist the imposition of the Dread Master's will, and the mental battle intensified.

"You seem to want to die." Raptus said in annoyance. "I can assist you."

"I won't fall to the likes of you." Nox declared, his eyelids half-closed.

"By resisting, you bring this on yourself." Raptus replied, as if speaking to a child he was about to discipline. The psychic pressure suddenly increased, and Nox felt himself losing control. Desperate, he clung to consciousness with the fervor of a drowning man, put he continued to slide slowly into the abyss.

Suddenly, his grip on his own mind slipped entirely, and he began falling down into the vortex that had formed in his subconscious. The last thing he heard was the irresistible voice of Raptus echoing in the void, drawing him down into the dark like the currents of an unseen sea.

"Spin, ever downward. Fall. Disappear…"

The grey sky, choked with lethargic clouds, hung solemnly over the stony and barren landscape. The ground was littered with the bones of all manner of creatures, both massive and small. The remains of the more massive creatures formed odd formations that emerged from the land like gateways or ancient animal traps, while the remains of smaller beings formed piles or were spread haphazardly around, as if they had simply fallen here and there. Most of the bones were neither brown nor white, but seemed as grey as the murky sky above and the stones upon which they lay. Other than their strange shapes and formations, at first glance one might not differentiate the bones from the stones.

A dreary wind blew dust across the gloomy landscape as it moved the clouds across the sky. The air tasted stale, as if it too were grey and lifeless. Beams of weak sunlight managed to pierce the cloud cover in certain spots, allowing for some light to illuminate the barren world, but most of the light was blocked and muted by the thick mantle of the smoky substance polluting the upper atmosphere. A persistent, thin fog that had no moisture whatsoever clung to the ground, rippling and flowing in and around the broken skeletons scattered across the horizon.

Nox's unconscious body, bare-chested, and dressed in nothing more than filthy rags, lay face-down and covered in a thin layer of dust. He stirred as the dry wind swept over his exposed skin, and opened his dust-coated eyelids to see the world around him as memories brought themselves to the forefront of his mind. He had been somewhere, fighting something or someone. He couldn't recall details, but he somehow knew that he had not been here before he woke up. Turning himself over onto his back, he looked up at the thick layer of clouds blocking out more than half of the sunlight for a moment, before a thought came to him. _But where is here?_ He sat up, looking around at the dismal landscape in bewilderment.

The world around him was a graveyard in the most primal sense of the word. There was nothing here but the hollow, lifeless atmosphere of a dead world. Everything about the environment whispered of death and slow decay. In a way Nox supposed it was a microcosm of a dying universe, nothing here would vanish tomorrow or the day after or millennia after, but one day, after countless thousands of years, this would all just be an ashen, sunless world of dust and clouds.

A soft glint just inside his peripheral vision caught his eye, and he turned his head to see a familiar cylinder: his lightsaber. Reaching for it, he picked it up gently, turning it over to inspect it for damage. When he found none, he thumbed the activation switch. Nothing. Puzzled, he tried again. Still nothing.

Concern and just the tiniest bit of fear blossoming in his heart, he gingerly disassembled the weapon into its separate components. When he finished he found the problem. The lightsaber crystal inside had dissolved into dust. _How long was I asleep?_ Nox wondered as he watched the wind blow the remains of the crystal off into the barren wastes. _I couldn't have slept for millennia, surely…_ his thought trailed off as he struggled to make sense of his current situation. He found he couldn't, not through any traditional logic or reasoning anyway.

After a few minutes of simply sitting there, wondering what to do next, he noticed another dull glint coming from not too far away. When he investigated, he discovered an ancient, rusting blade poking out from underneath a pile of bones, with a piece of ancient, primitive armor lying near it. An idea came to him, and he set about searching his surroundings for blades and leather armor straps. After what seemed a good deal of time searching, he found the materials he needed and got to work. After several minutes, he had finished tying the blades securely to the pommel of his lightsaber. He tested the new weapon several times by slamming it into the largest and thickest bones of the massive skeletons lying around, and when the straps failed to keep the blades strapped as securely he had thought they would, he inspected the materials and tried again. This time the straps held the blades firmly in place, and with his new weapon complete, Nox decided to make a strap to hold it to his back so he didn't have to carry it in his hands all the time.

After finding usable pieces of leather strap, he tied them together to form two pieces of strap the exact length he needed to keep the double-bladed warstaff firmly on his back. Then he tied the ends of each together in a loop, and placed them crossways over his shoulders to form an "X" on his chest and back. He slid the warstaff into the X so that one blade and a portion of the handle emerged from behind his left shoulder, pointing to the sky, while the other blade poked out from behind his right hip. It would be relatively easy to draw the weapon, and the blades wouldn't cut into his flesh this way.

Surveying the landscape, Nox found himself once again lost. He didn't know why he was here, how he got here, or where to go. Now that he'd finished his self-assigned task, he was completely clueless as to what he should do next. The wastes just seemed to go on forever in all directions. Finally, Nox decided that if this was true, it didn't really matter which way he went. So he merely began walking in one particular direction, pushing all doubts from his mind for the sake of what little practicality he could retain in such a situation.

After walking for an inordinate but indistinct amount of time, Nox saw nothing of interest, and no signs of the landscape changing. He realized he could probably go on for days or even weeks with no visible changes to the environment, and he started to wonder about supplies. There was no food or water here; at least none that he could see or detect. Everything was dead and dry. Even the Force itself seemed hollow and empty. The whole experience was similar to a legend he had read of a Sith Lord who had stood on the surface of Nathema and returned to tell the tale. It unnerved him, but not to the extent that the writer had claimed.

Struck by a sudden thought, Nox stopped dead in his tracks and picked out a skull that was sitting on top of a nearby bone pile. Once he had the object in his mind, he tried to lift it with the Force. To his shock and mounting horror, nothing happened. Extending a hand to mime the motion he was trying to make in the Force, he attempted to lift the skull a second time. The object didn't budge. His fear blossoming into full-blown terror, Nox extended both hands and desperately tried to lift the skull from its perch. The object shuddered slightly, but didn't move. Nox increased his focus, trying to feed off of his fear and anger, and managed to lift the skull an inch above its perch, before the strain of the effort required to perform the feat brought him to his knees and the skull dropped back onto the pile.

Kneeling there on the ground, panting with exhaustion, Nox took stock of his situation. He was alone in a desolate wasteland with no idea how or when he had gotten here, no idea how to escape, and no food, water, or civilization in sight. His weapon was all but useless against any serious enemy he happened to encounter, and his ability to command or even feel the Force and its subsequent absence was greatly diminished if not all but non-existent.

The fear of his imminent death clouded his mind, and he found himself swept up in a storm or grief and despair. _Is this how it ends? Wandering in this hellish waste like a little lost nerf until thirst, starvation, or some as yet unknown enemy kills me? How am I supposed to get back to where I came from when I can't even remember where that is?_ But his despair became frustration, and his frustration quickly morphed into anger and fury. He unleashed a primal roar and began pounding his fists on the cold, hard, unforgiving stone. His knuckles began to bleed, and the pain washed over him, clearing his mind and sharpening his focus.

He continued to attack the ground until his hands were bruised and bloody and the pain finally overrode his anger. But he was no longer lost in his own despair and hopelessness. His suffering had given him renewed focus and determination. He may be trapped here but he would not remain here. No matter if it took him all eternity to escape this endless waste, he would spend that eternity bathing in his own suffering, hatred, and rage. And when he finally did escape, he would unleash all that fury tenfold on the being or beings responsible for putting him here.

Rising to his feet, he began walking once more, his wounded knuckles leaving a trail of blood behind him. He kept walking. He didn't know for how long, time seemed to have no meaning here. At no point did the scattered beams of sunlight ever vanish, and night never descended on the Bonelands. No creatures emerged from hiding underneath the bone piles or the sands. The dead world seemed to be stuck in an eternal twilight between light and darkness. The winds themselves seemed to carry an atmosphere of despair, and the surroundings just became blurry and indistinct. Nox couldn't recall ever being so bored.

The next most notable event that brought him back to himself was when he noticed that his knuckles were scabbed over. As hard as he tried, he couldn't recall the moments that they had stopped bleeding or that the scabs had formed, and he then realized the full effects of there being no way to determine the passage of time. At no point in his journey thus far had he felt hungry or thirsty, and no part of his body other than his damaged hands felt sore. The thought that he might very well wander this place until he died of old age, rather than hunger or exhaustion flashed through his mind, but he roughly pushed it out.

The next notable event was when he began to notice that the smaller bones became fewer in number as the amount of dust increased. Once again he had no idea how much time had passed, or how much distance he had covered, and he seemed to notice the land's transformation halfway through. As he continued walking, even the larger bone formations became smaller and seemed to be vanishing. Eventually, it reached a point where there were no small bones at all, and the ground was completely covered in grey dust. The remaining large skeletal formations were thinner and seemed to be decaying into the same grey dust that blanketed the world.

After another inordinate amount of time, Nox reached a massive stone monolith emerging from the dark sands. Up ahead he couldn't see anymore bone formations, and he realized that he seemed to have escaped one hell only to walk right into another. Deciding to inspect the monolith more closely out of curiosity, he discovered words carved into it. At first the language seemed to be unlike anything in the known galaxy, but the longer Nox stared at it, the more it slowly seemed he could understand it.

 _Pay heed, damned soul_

 _If thou wouldest traverse the Dead Sands_

 _Wherein the Wurm Dieth Not_

 _Thou dost take thine own soul into thine hands_

 _Suleh Muukinuu Ashuwai_

Nox stared at the last line, but it remained stubbornly incomprehensible. He turned his attention to the third line instead, pondering the significance of the capitalized letters in the last three words of the phrase. The name of this desert of bone dust was obviously "The Dead Sands", but what was the Wurm? And why wouldn't it die?

Deciding he wasn't going to accomplish anything by staring at a stone monolith, he abandoned it and struck out further into the wastes. There were no large dunes in the Dead Sands, and the sand-like dust simply rose and fell in small waves, as if it had once been a grey ocean that had been frozen in time by some apathetic god. After yet another eternity of walking, he was brought back to his full awareness by a distinct murmuring in the barely detectable hum of the Force. He suddenly felt vibrations beneath his feet, and in the split second before the sand exploded beneath him, he leapt as hard and as far as he could to the side.

He turned back just in time to see a great, grey cylinder in the process of emerging from the sand, but it was only when the cylinder began to curve and arc itself in order to dive into the sand that he realized with horror and fear what it was. It was a great worm. One glance was more than enough to tell him why it was "The Wurm that Dieth Not". It's easily two hundred meter length was covered in scaly armor plates, with the only unarmored part being the edges and inside of its mouth. However, the mouth was lined with rows and rows of sharp teeth made for grinding and stripping flesh from bone. He watched the creature's length emerge from and disappear into the sand from its exit and entry points for a few precious seconds, before scrabbling to his feet and going on the move. He probably couldn't outrun it, but he could evade it until he found a weakness, provided it had one.

The sand behind him exploded, and he threw himself hard to the left, rolling when he hit the ground to maintain some momentum, then sprang to his feet and took off, not even bothering to look back at the worm, which was once more diving into the sand. After a few minutes of running, he felt the vibrations, and this time he waited until he could practically feel the horrific maw of the worm opening to swallow him up from below before he threw himself backward as far as he could go.

The worm burst out of the sand, and Nox was raised up on the creature's back. Finding the scent of its prey tantalizingly close, but unable to detect its movements, the worm thrashed its head about in an attempt to locate its would-be meal. Nox had to draw his blade and jam it in between the plates of the worm's strange exoskeleton to stay mounted. Suddenly feeling the rusty blade between its armor plates, the worm tried to bend back on itself to pluck the annoyance from its back and devour it, but Nox used the opportunity to remove his blade and then drive it into the gums of the cavernous maw lined with sharp teeth. The stinking mouth closed briefly, and then the worm reared back its head and screamed. Nox's blade flew from its jaws, doused in black blood.

Summoning all the strength of will he could muster, Nox drew the heavy blade back to his hands as it soared into the air, then ran up the rest of the creature's writhing length towards its head, struggling to keep his balance without the aid of the Force. When he reached the beast's gaping, screaming jaws, Nox was nearly overcome by the intense stench of rot, death, and decay coming from the monster's insides. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like inside. He drove his dull blades into the soft flesh surrounding the creature's mouth while he braced himself against its armor plates to keep from being shaken off by the worm's convulsions.

The worm howled even louder and began to whip about violently, tossing Nox clear and sending him flying tens of meters away. He bounced several times when he hit the sand, spinning and rolling as he went. When he finally stopped, he saw the worm tunneling into the sand once more. He forced himself to his feet, despite the aches and bruises he had suffered screaming in protest, and took off running again, trying to draw the beast into attacking him. Running helped him build momentum for when he needed to dodge the beast's attack, but it would also make him a target. Sightless as it was, the worm no doubt located its prey by vibrations, such as those caused by movement and feet impacting the sand. Running made him an easy target, bait too good to be resisted.

He almost wasn't ready though, when the worm's next attack came. The ground in front of him erupted, the gaping hole of the worm's mouth emerging from the sand to swallow him whole. Nox threw himself to the side and slightly forward, slipping past and under the attack, rolling in a somersault and springing to his feet. The worm didn't return to the sand however, and instead it slithered along on top of it, gathering itself in coils like an armored, headless snake and raising itself up to open its maw and roar at him. The sound was filled with hatred and primal rage, and the expulsion of air from its depths sent flecks of its dark, oily blood flying. Nox, his warstaff in hand, charged the beast, answering its challenge with a roar of his own. The worm reared back and pounced, Nox slipped to the side, dodging the attack and landing a counterattack on the fleshy parts of the outer mouth.

The monster reared back up and howled in pain and frustration. Nox took to opportunity to strike at the flesh visible from between its scales, causing it to thrash about even more. A few scales broke off the monster under his assault, and Nox eagerly attacked the exposed flesh, leaving deep, bleeding cuts that released the creature's bubbling black blood. The worm began burrowing into the sand again, and Nox broke off his attack and started running again.

This time when the worm emerged to swallow him, Nox managed to leap onto it and use his warstaff to break off a few more of the beast's scales before it vanished back underground. After repeating the lengthy process enough times, the area around the worm's head was largely exposed. Nox turned his efforts to making mincemeat out of the worm's unprotected flesh, running away whenever it returned to the underground, only for the monster to inevitably emerge again and try to devour him.

Eventually, Nox began to tire. His adrenaline was keeping him mobile, but even it was starting to fade. His paltry strength in the Force left almost nothing in reserve for him to draw on, but the worm showed no sign of ceasing its attacks. Nox once more turned his efforts to breaking off more scales, these ones closer to the center and tail of the beast, to open up even more freely-bleeding wounds. These seemed to have more of an effect on the creature, and once Nox opened up the fifth gaping wound in the worm's flesh, the creature stopped burrowing below ground altogether, and merely emerged from the sand like a living pillar, striking at him like a serpent, or attempting to crush him with its body weight.

The beast was getting desperate, and the blood loss it had suffered was affecting what little judgment and instincts it had. Its own rage and hatred of its prey were overriding its survival instincts; it seemed entirely focused on killing him, even at the risk of its own life. Now that it wasn't disappearing below the sand, Nox took to circling the beast, using his warstaff to break off its scales and spill more of its blood onto the grey sand, which soon became stained black due to being soaked through with the viscous substance. The worm did not simply let him do this however; it continued its attempts to crush him by slamming its body down on him or by bending its surprisingly flexible form to attempt to swallow him. When the creature's body became too exposed, it would pull itself deeper into the hole to protect the exposed flesh, at which point Nox had to start all over again with a new set of scales from further up the monsters body, now at ground level, while still dodging the worm's attacks.

Finally, only a relatively small portion of the beast's body remained above the sand, the rest was a bleeding mess hidden beneath the surface. The monster was noticeably slower, weaker, and lethargic; the blood loss was taking its toll. With the last of its strength, the creature let loose a haunting death cry, and then crashed to the sand.

After checking to make certain the beast was dead by breaking off a few more scales and opening deep gashes, Nox walked to the front of the dead worm and sat down beside it, staring at the once great beast he had just slain. Blood was pouring from its countless wounds, and when he examined himself, he found he was covered in it quite generously. He spent the next twenty minutes or so trying to clean himself as best as he could without water, but there was nothing he could do about the rags he had for clothes, which were stained permanently black.

After having rested enough that he felt like he had recovered his strength, Nox took one last look at the worm, before heading off in the direction which the dead creature's head pointed to. He was once more consumed by the unending monotony of the Dead Sands, and the passage of time ceased to have meaning. By the time he saw the strange dot on the horizon, the battle with the worm felt like another life. By the time the dot became a ruined castle, he couldn't even remember fighting the worm at all.

Entering through the ruined portcullis, Nox examined the surroundings. The shredded tatters of ancient banners, their color and symbols devoured by the ravages of time, hung from the ruined and broken walls. The courtyard was littered with bones and ancient armor composed of leather and primitive metals. Broken and shattered pottery lay strewn as haphazardly as the bones and other refuse, and here and there small scraps of cloth or similar materials could be seen. Suddenly he felt a dark and sinister, but tantalizingly familiar presence sweep over him. Then when a voice came from a hole that had been made in the wall of one of the stone towers, and he turned and saw a being standing there, and he realized why the presence was so familiar: the voice was his own. Standing there was Darth Nox, in all his dark glory. The helm of Lord Kallig covered his head, its empty eye sockets like the gaze of death itself. On his hip was the familiar form of his lightsaber, and he was dressed in the armored robes that Nox had started wearing after his ascension to the Dark Council.

"You should not have come. Now your fate is to rest forever among these bones." The duplicate said, gesturing at the ruined courtyard and the bones scattered within.

"What is this place?" Nox asked the copy, trying to pry answers of any kind from the being he suspected would become his opponent.

"This is your domain." The clone replied. "The kingdom ruled by hate and fear will always come to ruin, and in the end you will find the hell you never wanted, but always sought."

"Cease your riddles!" Nox demanded. "Give me a straight answer."

"You will learn, either now or then." The other Nox said. "But if you refuse to see now, you will beg for what you once feared most, only to find that it too has abandoned you."

"Enough!" Nox said, waving his hand for the imposter to be silent. "Speak plainly or do not speak at all!" The imposter unhooked his lightsaber from his belt, and thumbed the activation switch.

"Can you see?" He asked, and then he leaped from the hole down into the courtyard. In a flash, he attacked Nox, his violet blade buzzing through the air. Not knowing how, Nox actually managed to dodge his clone's attack, despite the imposter's Force-enhanced speed. Nox danced out of the way of the follow-up strike, putting a few meters distance between himself and his opponent.

"You cannot change what is to come." The clone said, before he rushed Nox again it blinding speed. Nox once more managed to defy logic and remain untouched by his foe's blade. He quickly drew his own staff with the few seconds that his evasive maneuvers bought him, and managed to avoid getting his head and legs separated from his body when the copy attacked him again. This time, Nox used those precious seconds after the attack to counterattack, feinting to draw his opponent's attention away from his target, then changing direction at the last second to drive one of his blades into his enemy's left leg.

The clone stumbled back. Thanks to his armored robes the rusty blade hadn't reached bone, but the robes were designed to absorb energy, not protect from physical weapons. The rusty blades had pierced the fabric and penetrated skin and muscle, and the wound was bleeding. Unleashing a growl of pain and anger, the imposter was suddenly enveloped in a dark aura, and his eyes glowed purple with dark energy. Suddenly, Nox heard an unholy noise coming from one corner of the courtyard. Not a moment later, the noise came again from a place across the courtyard from where the original sound had come from. Then the noise began to come from everywhere at once. As Nox watched in growing fear, the bones that were scattered around the courtyard began to coalesce into recognizable forms. Femur and leg bones came together, arm bones attached themselves to armored, skeletal torsos, and skulls perched atop the ghastly ensembles like morbid birds.

In a matter of moments, the courtyard was filled with undead. From their empty jaws echoed harrowing and ghostly howls of pain, suffering, and rage, the call of the damned. As one, they converged on him, screeching, hissing, and bellowing their hatred. Hundreds of voices, unrecognizable and horribly distorted, hurled judgments and accusations, or called for blood.

"You did this!"

"Attack!"

"He is flesh."

"Kill him!"

"Tear out his heart!"

"Make him scream for mercy!"

Nox could feel their hatred wash over him like a tide as the horde converged on him, and he felt something stir deep inside him, giving him an uncanny confidence. He quickly picked out the closest two undead warriors, and attacked. In a series of rapid strikes, he knocked them back, and then followed up with a series of wide sweeping strikes that drove back the rest of the undead mob that was converging on all sides. Acting on instinct, he threw his blade in a spinning throw that should have sent it flying off to the right. Instead, felt the Force surge within him, and he reached out with his telekinetic grip to seize the blade and send it spinning in a wide circle around him, slicing through countless skeletons and reducing them to piles of sliced bone. When the blade completed a full rotation, he recalled it to his hand and launched another assault on the two warriors he had originally attacked.

They didn't stand a chance. Nox reduced them to dust and bone splinters and before long was carving his way through the crowd, crushing any of the mob who came within reach of his thrashing, spinning blades. So lost in his bloodless massacre was he, that he was nearly caught off-guard when the imposter materialized out of the undead horde and descended on him. This time, he wasn't so lucky. Between the legion of undead surrounding him, restricting his movement, and the imposter's speed and accuracy, he was hit by a glancing blow from the enemy's blade, which left a sizzling scar on his left shoulder.

He howled in pain, but channeled his suffering into strength and speed, dodging the follow-up and responding with a heavy blow to his foe's helmeted head. Temporarily stunned by the attack, the imposter staggered backwards dropping his guard enough to allow Nox to land a solid kick to his opponent's chest, sending him sprawling. Nox drove the tip of his blade into the clone's ankle, causing it to scream in agony. Nox suddenly found himself flying through the air, and braced himself for the impact he knew was coming. He slammed hard into the stone wall of the keep, and felt the wind get knocked out of him. He slumped to the ground, his bruised muscles and battered bones screaming. He quickly got to his feet, and saw that the imposter had unconsciously released a wave of kinetic energy that had blown away all the undead.

The imposter however, was once more surrounded by a dark aura, and Nox could feel the Dark Side gathering around his foe in a swirling vortex of power. Then the power was released, and two black portals opened in the ground. Out of the portals, moving as if they were crawling out of quicksand, came two shadowy beings. At first Nox couldn't recognize them, but once most of their forms emerged, a chill went down his spine.

The two beings were made of living shadow, and the forms they had taken were that of Ashara and Xalek. Once the shadowy apprentices emerged from the gateways, the portals collapsed into nothing, and to Nox's horror, they both ignited lightsabers. The three lightsaber-wielding beings converged on him, and his entire focus became staying out of the way of their sizzling, crackling weapons. In the first few seconds his improvised warstaff was sliced into useless pieces, leaving him weaponless against three foes that launched constant, coordinated attacks.

He somehow managed to keep from being eviscerated, but not without suffering multiple wounds from glancing blows or close calls. The pain of the burns fueled his hatred, and he felt the familiar black tide bubbling up inside him again. When his hatred reached a fever pitch, he unleashed it in the form of a wave of lightning and kinetic energy that sent his foes flying back from him. In the split second that afforded him, he charged forward and drove his fist through the shadow of Xalek. His eyes glowed violet, and the shadow screamed as Nox absorbed it into himself. The saberstaff it had wielded fell from its grasp, but Nox used the Force to pull it to his hand and switch it on.

He whirled just in time to engage the Ashara clone and his own copy, who descended on him in an intense dual-pronged assault. Now that he had a weapon to defend himself with, the fight became a very different story. While both his own copy and the Ashara shadow clone were duplicating his and Ashara's fighting styles and techniques very well, they were imperfect. The shadow of Ashara was the next to fall, with Nox disarming and absorbing her.

With both his shadowy companions gone, the imposter seemed to fight that much harder. The battle now became a true duel, a test of skill, finesse, and mastery. Nox began to slowly gain the upper hand as the battle of attrition dragged on, but just when it seemed that the fight was drawing to its conclusion, the clone hit Nox with a Force push that sent him flying through the open doorway of one of the keep's ruined towers. The clone rushed to block to door, aiming to take the fight into an enclosed space in an attempt to gain back the advantage. Reaching the door before Nox, the clone used the Force to collapse the part of the winding staircase above it, sealing off the exit.

The two Sith flew at each other, abandoning their defensive postures for aggressive maneuvers. At one point, the imposter leaped up and over Nox to land on the staircase above, hoping to buy a brief respite. Nox, determined to keep the pressure on, followed, forcing the clone to leap to the staircase on the other side of the tower. They began working their way up the tower, leaping from staircase to staircase, back and forth across the tower. They would often pass close to each other mid-leap, and used the opportunity to attack the other while both were still in mid-air. The sound of their clashing blades echoed up and down the hollow stone spire, and eventually they arrived at the top. The imposter was the first to emerge out onto the tower's roof, but Nox was close behind him. They battled furiously, each trying to use the small space to their advantage by driving the other close to the edge.

The duel became a flurry of light, sound, and movement as both combatants dug deep into their reserves, struggling to outperform each other. Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself, and Nox seized it. With a flurry of feints followed by a kick to the left knee and a blow to the head, the imposter was sent reeling, and Nox disarmed him by severing his weapon hand.

Crying out in pain, the false Nox clutched his blackened stump to his chest and bent over. Nox shoved him to the ground and pointed his weapon at his foe's neck. For just a moment, he allowed himself to savor his moment of triumph, and then he raised his weapon, seizing it in both hands, and drove it into the enemy's chest.

The clone grew still, and Nox withdrew his blade, switching it off. He watched as the corpse turned to ash, dissolving as a stiff wind rose out of nowhere, carrying the ashes away on the breeze, off into the barren wasteland. Nox watched them go as he stared out at the desolate world, and he remembered what the imposter had said: _This is your domain. The kingdom ruled by hate and fear will always come to ruin, and in the end you will find the hell you never wanted, but always sought._

He continued to gaze on the dead world as he pondered the deeper meaning of the clone's words, but suddenly it all vanished, and he found himself lying on the floor of Raptus's chambers, staring up at the ceiling. The words of the Dread Master echoed in his mind as he stood to his feet.

"Your mind is strong. But not strong enough…Come, it is time."

From the moment Nox entered the Dread Council chambers, he felt the true power of the Dread Masters wash over him. It was only then he realized that the Dread Masters he had fought in their personal chambers were merely projections, these were the real thing.

The Dark Side was alive and pulsing within the giant stone sphere that served as the Dread Master's gathering place. Nox could swear he could feel the vibrations of a powerful heartbeat as he walked down the long pathway from the double doors that accessed the chamber towards the circular platform that was situated in the center of the room, held aloft above the floor twenty meters below. In the center of the platform was an exceptionally large pyramidal holocron, and the seats of the Dread Masters seemed to sprout from the platform like stone plants, with the flower being the thrones upon which they sat.

When Nox reached the platform, he quickly noticed something that chilled him to his bones: There were six Dread Masters, not four. Brontes and Styrak sat on their thrones along with the others, and it was only when he felt the pull on his spirit that Nox realized they were no longer alive, but merely Force Ghosts.

"You have passed our trials" Raptus said.

"You performed unexpectedly well." Bestia added.

"We will make you one of us." Tyrans continued. "Then we shall bathe the galaxy in fire in blood together."

"This is your last chance." Nox said firmly. "Surrender yourselves, and I will save you from this madness."

"We do not fear you." Calphayus said. "We do not fear death."

"Our union transcends death." Raptus declared. "Abandon your mind, become one with us, let us fulfill our destiny together." Nox sighed and shook his head in exasperation.

"Very well, if you will not surrender, then I will take you by force."

"Your time is over" Calphayus scoffed. "You cannot defy our will!"

"Victory will be ours alone." Tyrans said, standing to his feet as he spoke. The rest of the Dread Masters followed suit.

"Let us begin" Bestia said, and with that all six of the Dread Masters leaped from their thrones and landed in a circle around the holocron in the center of the platform. They all adopted channeling poses and their physical bodies appeared to double and then triple in size. They became shrouded in an aura of darkness and their eyes glowed red. Waves of Dark Side power began to emanate from the holocron, crashing over Nox like tidal waves.

Realizing his time was short, and that the ritual the Masters were conducting could not be stopped, Nox began casting a ritual of his own, the ritual he had been long preparing for this exact moment. His body became enshrouded in a familiar dark aura, his eyes glowed a brilliant violet, and he spread his arms outward as his head fell back and he began to rise into the air. He lost all feeling and perception of the outside world as the darkness within him consumed him from the inside out.

In a few moments, he was standing in a place of living darkness, and standing before him were the four Sith spirits he had bound and the one additional Voss spirit that he had bound while searching for a cure for the effects of the Force Walk ritual.

"Why have you summoned us?" Kalatosh demanded.

"What is this, what is happening?" Ergast echoed.

"To say goodbye." Nox replied.

"What? What is that supposed to mean?" Kalatosh replied, his anger increasing with every word.

"The treacherous little snake betrays us!" Andru hissed, pointing an accusatory finger at Nox.

"You shall suffer for this." The Voss spirit warned. "So blind, so arrogant. Your fall will come quickly."

"Is this true?" Horak-Mul asked Nox directly. He was surprisingly calm given the implications of the accusation, but Nox could feel the Pureblood's hatred and rage simmering beneath the placid exterior.

"Yes." Was all he said, before he took one step forward and raised his hands, lifting all of them into the air, clutching at their throats as Nox took hold of their very essence. One by one, the ghosts began to dissolve, screaming in agony as they did so. When only Horak-Mul remained, the Sith Lord began to glow with power, and with an exertion of force, he managed to break free of Nox's grasp in order to spit out one last curse.

"May your blood betray you, may your plots be foiled and exposed, may your enemies outlive you, and may the Force forsake you!"

Nox summoned a surge of power, and with a gesture he seized hold of Horak-Mul once more, dissolving the Sith spirit as he had done to his brethren. Horak-Mul screamed as his consciousness was deconstructed, his essence converted. When it was finally done, Nox allowed the Pureblood's final screams to fade, before he lapsed back to consciousness, his body, mind, and soul alive with power and intent. The thought of what he was about to do invigorated him, and when he returned to his body, it released a shockwave that disrupted the ritual of the Dread Masters.

"This is unexpected" Bestia said in bewildered surprise.

Nox gathered the Dark Side to him, and became engulfed in the swirling vortex of power that formed around him. The Dread Masters, having ceased their ritual out of shock, made attempts to shield themselves from the effects of the Dark Side storm forming in the room. Unfortunately, nothing could protect them from what Nox was about to do.

Tendrils of darkness launched from the vortex, striking each Dread Master square in the chest. They howled in pain as the tendrils pierced their bodies and attached themselves to their minds and spirits. Their howls became wails and screams as the tendrils began to siphon their essence directly from them.

"This cannot be!" Calphayus exclaimed.

"How, how can you do this?" Raptus gasped through the agony.

"Ugh…Impossible…" Styrak protested, as his ethereal form began to disappear.

"Death…I feel it." Bestia said in rapt wonderment.

The building power reached its peak, and in a destructive burst the vortex dispersed, casting the bodies of the formerly living Dread Masters to the floor. Nox descended, lowering himself to the ground like a god descending from the heavens. He shone with dark radiance, and his presence filled the massive room.

One of the bodies on the ground stirred, and Nox drew approached it. It was Calphayus. The Dread Master seemed only stunned, for he slowly got himself to a sitting position and shook his head as if to clear it. It was then he felt Nox's presence sweep over him and he remembered where he was and what had happened. He immediately looked up at the approaching Nox and began to scramble away on his hands and knees. Nox pinned him to the ground with a thought, and drew his lightsaber as he reached the helpless man.

When Nox released his Force grip on Calphayus, the Dread Master scrambled to his hands and knees, prostrating himself before Nox in desperation.

"Please Sith'Ari, please spare me!" Nox stopped.

"What did you call me?"

"I see it now." Calphayus replied. "You are the successor, the one who will take the mantle from Vitiate."

"I do not desire his throne." Nox replied.

"I speak not of the throne." Calphayus replied hastily. "I speak of his mantle. The mantle of Sith'Ari. I see it now, you will become the perfect being that will lead the Sith to glory!"

Nox stood still, lost in thought. It was in that moment that he realized something. Calphayus had survived his ritual somehow, and he seemed to have been freed from the union that had once existed between the Masters, and now bound those same beings to Nox. The same strength that their union had once had in life, now bound their spirits to Nox in death. There must be a reason Calphayus was not affected, Nox wondered. Whatever it was, the reason eluded him for the moment, but this development brought to light a new thread weaving its way through the tapestry of his Grand Plan.

He needed a tool he could use to accomplish his plans, a hero to stand against the threats to galactic security he would create, but there was always the chance that his chosen vessel could stray from the path he intended it to take. For such emergencies, he needed a way to ensure some kind of more direct control over this vessel, and now Nox realized that that method of control was kneeling before him, begging for his life.

"I will spare you, Calphayus." Nox said, sheathing his lightsaber as the former Dread Master looked up in surprise. "But you may come to wish I hadn't."

The Dread Palace was silent except for the piercing wail of Calphayus's screams.

Jay-Li was hunched over the attack plans for the assault on the Dread Fortress when he heard a disturbance coming from the camp entrance. Looking up from his work he walked over to where a crowd of soldiers and Jedi were gathering around something. He pushed his way through the crowd and was shocked when he reached the center. There, sitting on the ground mumbling to himself, was a Dread Master without his golden crest. His face looked ancient and weathered beyond belief. Such a visage might have been more suitable for a corpse. His eyes were vacant and he was constantly twitching and moving, making all the soldiers pointing their weapons at him jumpy.

Peering into the man, Jay was surprised to find no mental block prohibiting him from gaining access to the man's mind. It only took a few moments to confirm what Jay already suspected.

"Lower your weapons!" He ordered those around him. "It's Calphayus. He's beaten and harmless."

"My death never came." Calphayus murmured. "I am nothing now."

"That isn't true." Jay said, approaching him slowly, as if he were a wounded animal. "We all have a place, a purpose to serve."

"Serve…yes." Calphayus mumbled. "The fear…the fear gave us rage, and the rage gave us strength. We were chained to one another, servants enslaved to a higher purpose…" He looked up at Jay. "Tell me, how does a man walk without chains to uplift him? How do you endure?"

"I don't think this man is any threat." Ogan-Dei said, his eyes wide with shock at seeing a former enemy so broken and humbled.

"I had a wife once," Calphayus said. "I…I didn't fear her." His voice and eyes, for just a moment, seemed to reflect something like affection and peace.

"Master Jedi!" Cried Sergeant Trila, "We should kill him before he recovers!" Cries of assent came from many of the assembled soldiers. Jay could feel their anger and hatred towards Calphayus, and he sighed inwardly.

"Look at him." He commanded, turning to face the crowd. "Look into his eyes and tell me he is not broken, lost, confused, and scared. What are we if we execute him when he is so helpless? We are no better than he was!"

Dead silence. Jay could feel the invisible battles going on inside each and every individual, as their lust for revenge fought their sense of justice for control. Master Ogan-Dei broke the silence by stepping forward to help Calphayus to his feet.

"I will see that he gets some medical attention." He said, throwing the former Dread Master's arm over his own shoulders.

"I will assist you, Master Ogan-Dei" Jay said, stepping forward to do the same.

The crowd slowly dispersed, some individuals muttering and grumbling under their breath, but none dared to openly object. The two Jedi helped Calphayus over to the medical tent, where a doctor came rushing out to meet them. When he saw the robes of the being draped between them, he stopped cold, shock showing clearly on his face.

"Master Jedi, are you…are you sure he is safe?"

"We're sure, doctor." Jay reassured him. "Can you see to him?"

"If he has any physical injuries yes," the doctor said, "but I'm not sure about his mental state."

The two Jedi led Calphayus to one of the few unoccupied beds that wasn't covered in blood, vomit, and excrement. Jay couldn't help but grimace as he laid the Dread Master down, the bed may have been clean, but it stank horribly nonetheless.

"Darkness…" Calphayus murmured, his eyes closed, his head moving slightly from side to side, as if he were dreaming. "Darkness…coming."

"What is he saying?" Master Ogan-Dei asked Jay.

"He said darkness is coming." Jay replied. Suddenly Calphayus sat straight up in the bed and seized Jay's robes, his eyes wide open and full of fear.

"The darkness," he hissed loudly, "it's coming, it's coming for you! It wants you, it needs you! You cannot escape!"

"Doctor, some sedative!" Ogan-Dei called out, drawing his lightsaber. Jay held up a hand, indicating he should let events transpire.

"What is the darkness, Calphayus?" Jay asked.

"Not what," Calphayus said, his voice shaking with terror, his eyes filled with fear. "who."

At that moment, the doctor plunged a needle into his arm, and the powerful sedative began to work immediately. Calphayus's eyes closed and he fell back onto the bed. In moments he was deeply unconscious. Master Ogan-Dei looked down at the slumbering Sith, and sheathed his weapon.

"What did he mean, Master Kenobi?" Jay was staring down at the sleeping man, asking himself the same question.

"I don't know." He said finally, then turned and walked out of the tent. He reached the middle of the camp when a dreadfully familiar sensation blossomed in his cortex. He stopped and turned his head to look at the Dread Fortress in the far distance. The once overwhelming power of the Dread Masters that had emanated from the structure was fading. It was still potent, but definitely weaker than before, but that was not what had caught his attention. Now emanating from the fortress, barely perceivable through the now fading aura of the Dread Masters, was the same dark power that had haunted his visions of doom for the galaxy.

As a chill ran down his spine, he couldn't help but wonder what forces they were dealing with. If the rising darkness was somehow responsible for the apparent demise of the Dread Masters, there was no telling what horrors that heralded for the galaxy.


	6. Chapter 6: Death

A tall, broad shouldered man with fine, silvery hair and a well-kept beard stood on a raised dais in the center of the throne chamber of the Eternal Spire. He was dressed in an extravagant suit of armor that was more decorative than functional. After all, a living god had no need of such mundane methods of protection. He was immortal, eternal.

The man stared out at the infinite starscape, The Eternal Throne by his side, his guards dismissed. He loved to watch the stars, those brilliant balls of fire hanging in the void, worshipers eternally praising the might and vision of those who had set them in their places before time itself began.

One day they might sing his praises too, one day they might give brilliant testimony to the god who was born a mortal, the deity who was once condemned to die at the hands of time and circumstance, one day they might sing the praises of the Dragon of Zakuul.

But he was no longer sure that day would come. The recent disturbances in the Force drew his attention and aroused his concern. The first disturbance had been a dramatic shift in the Dark Side, as if an undersea tectonic plate had moved, creating a disruption in the fabric of spacetime that, if not stopped, might become a tidal wave that would result in untold destruction, a cataclysm that only he could weather. Normally such a prospect wouldn't trouble him, but he had invested too much in his great work to let it be lost now, which meant that the source of this first disturbance had to be identified and the necessary action had to be taken.

Which brought him to the second disturbance; the simultaneous deaths of the Dread Masters had sent ripples through the Force, such that he had felt it across the vast distance separating him from the events. While their passing in and of itself was a notable event, the possibility that they could even be defeated was much more worrisome. To accomplish such a feat would have required power and co-ordination between the Republic and the Empire that he did not expect. Depending on what information he could acquire regarding their defeat, he might have to delay his timetable…or even accelerate it.

His thoughts were interrupted by his Force senses detecting two individuals entering the turbolift to the throne chamber far below. Their Force signatures radiated up to him clear and strong, like twin beacons. Their power in the Force dwarfed nearly any mortals he had encountered in all of his years, unsurprising, considering their heritage. Yet still they were raw, untested and inexperienced. Power was nothing without control, and if he could not control them they were useless to him.

The turbolift reached the throne room, and as one the two men, identical in nearly every visible way, entered the chamber. The one on left wore robes of pure white, while the one on the right wore a purely black garb. Both of them had a golden belt buckle in the shape of a royal seal, a serpent rearing back and hissing, it's long tongue extended. Their bald heads shone softly in the light of the chamber, and as they approached the throne they fell to one knee and awaited his recognition.

The man didn't move, he remained as motionless as he had been before they even entered the chamber, as if he didn't even know they were there. Something that could have been a smile tempted to play across his lips when he felt the simmering animosity in the white-clothed young man surge to become boiling anger. He waited a moment longer before speaking.

"There is a system on the very outskirts of our borders called Gierdaar." He said at last, his rich, succulent voice effortlessly filling the throne room. "I am sending an expedition there to conduct long range scans of certain systems," he paused, "and I am sending you to oversee it." The man in white exploded in fit of rage, forgetting himself and standing to his feet.

"You would send us on child's errand!" He snarled, his voice twisting to sound more like the growl of a rabid dog than a human. The older man made no indication he had even noticed the young man's change in demeanor, radiating an implacable aura of dismissive apathy.

"I would send you to do my will." He said, as if it should be obvious. The black-clothed youth reached out and touched his brother's arm gently, calmly, and an unspoken conversation occurred. The man in white shook off his brother's hand, but sank to one knee again and bowed his head, his anger still bubbling and frothing beneath his deceptively placid surface.

 _Good, good._ The older man thought, _every day he proves himself more pliable, perhaps he may be useful yet._ Without turning around, the older man waved the two youths away in dismissal, and they rose to their feet and exited the throne room. What the next few years would look like all depended on the results of the investigation he had just dispatched them on, but it was important that they not know just how crucial their mission was. Allowing them even a sliver or fragment of validation could completely ruin two whole decades of dedicated, calculated sculpting. They were the vessels, and he the potter, shaping and molding them into the perfect tools that he could use against his enemies.

Still, neither they nor their sister were suitable for his purposes. It seemed he had yet to find a being who was truly capable of sharing in his grand design. His thoughts wandered back to a place they often went of late, the so-called "Hero of Tython". While the Jedi was foolish and idealistic to a fault, he was no worse a candidate than the three children who had proven such monumental failures. With the proper intervention and direct attention, he might yet make a suitable vessel.

Then of course, there was the Wrath. That blunt instrument his Shard had used to keep the braying animals of the Empire in line. Despite his appearance giving the initial impression that he was nothing more than a powerful but brutish and inelegant weapon, the truth was that exterior disguised a nascent genius, a sleeping intellect that had fallen into disuse and been buried under a mountain of useless codes of honor and sentimentality. There was true potential there, and the touch of a master craftsman such as himself might bring it forth and reveal its true extent.

But both of these vessels would require time to perfect, possibly a decade or more of personal, constant attention and work. It would not be easy or quick. _Still_ , he reminded himself, _what is time to he who is eternal?_

* * *

The jubilant chords of a sastrayer pierced the clear night air as the various nobles of House Thul and her allies and vassals filed into the main building. Guards inspected the identification and invitations of all but the most prominent of guests, resulting in an occasional scuffle when someone who wasn't invited tried to bluff or bribe their way in. Inside, the massive throne chamber had been transformed into a ballroom, the throne itself standing empty, as Darth Imperious was mingling with his subjects instead of holding himself aloof. The room was filled with the buzz of conversation, laughter, and music. In the center of the floor was a large space that had been cleared for dancing, and several noble couples were swaying to the vibrant and lively music provided by the live band.

Seated sideways at one of the tables, Darth Nox tapped his fingers on the back of his chair in time to the beat as he surveyed the gathering. There were many faces here he didn't recognize, then again he didn't care to know who they were. A man of his stature didn't have the time to know every single underling. Seated beside him, Darth Skade was engaged in conversation with one of the more prominent noble couples of House Thul; Sir Aled and his wife, Lady Nora.

"What do you say, my lord?" Aled asked. When Skade didn't answer in the first few seconds, Nox realized the man was talking to him.

"I'm sorry," he said turning around to face them, "could you repeat the question? I was distracted." Aled smiled and obliged.

"We were merely discussing Alderaan's role in the ongoing war. I am curious to see what your perspective on that topic is."

"The Dark Council has yet to make a final decision," Nox said. "Even if it had there's no guarantee I'd be able to discuss it. Still, I can assure you that we have decided on one thing: Alderaan is key to our strategy and must be protected from both external and internal threats at any cost." Aled looked visibly relieved.

"Thank you for putting this foolish old man's worries to rest my lord." He said in a self-deprecating way. His wife gave him a scolding smack under the table.

"Think nothing of it." Nox said. "The Empire will not relinquish Alderaan easily. If the Republic wants it back they'll have to let countless worlds and billions of their citizens suffer just to attempt to retake the system."

"Is that what the new space station is intended to prevent?" Lady Nora asked.

"Yes." Nox replied. "That new space station in orbit is being armed to the teeth and given multiple defense platforms so that in the event of a large-scale fleet battle The Empire will hold a significant advantage. Many of its weapons and tracking systems are long-range as well, meaning it can detect Republic fleets several systems away and fire at them with intimidating accuracy the moment they come out of hyperspace at the edge of the system."

"Sounds terribly expensive." Sir Aled commented thoughtfully.

"For a single world it would be." Nox agreed. "But the Empire has more than enough funds to invest in such a project without it being too costly for us."

At that moment, a familiar figure swept by them and took a seat in between the two couples, who sat on opposite sides of the table.

"Your majesty!" Sir Aled exclaimed, he and his wife bowed their heads in surprised acknowledgement of their ruler.

"Peace, Aled." Imperious said with a placating gesture. "I only want to talk with Darth Skade and her master, could you give us some privacy?"

"At once my King." Aled said, already on his feet, leading his wife by the hand towards the dance floor.

"So," Nox said turning to Imperious, "has it gotten old yet?" Surprised and perplexed, Imperious let his confusion show.

"Has what gotten old?" Nox chuckled.

"All the bowing and scraping. I thought the Empire was bad for that, Alderaan is worse!" His half-joke received a half-smile from the newly crowned monarch.

"No it hasn't gotten old yet, I still enjoy watching the lengths some of them go to display their complete submission. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Of course, my apologies." Nox said. "What's on your mind?"

"Do you remember that message you sent me not too long ago, about events unfolding that cannot be stopped?" Nox squinted briefly as he tried to summon the appropriate memories.

"Yes, I do, now that you mention it." He said after a long moment.

"Well I'd like to thank you." Imperious said. "You were right as always, and I have a new apprentice to prove it." Nox's eyes widened in genuine surprise.

"A new apprentice? Do tell, Darth Imperious."

"He's a real prize." Imperious bragged. "The Jedi didn't hold onto him tight enough, I see real potential in the boy, he might even make a true successor to the throne one day."

"Perhaps more." Nox added in a low voice. "Perhaps one day he might sit on the Dark Council."

"With his potential, I wouldn't rule it out." Imperious agreed.

"Where is he?" Nox asked. Imperious indicated the balcony just above them, and Nox stretched out with the Force. He found the boy easily enough, and saw immediately why Imperious was so proud of his newest acquisition. The boy was brimming with hate and self-loathing, possessed at once by a deep anguish and an ever-burning rage. He was angry at himself and the entire galaxy, making him the perfect vessel for an expert sculptor to shape into something formidable and powerful. That line of thought briefly took Nox back to his days as an apprentice, when the galaxy was in an uproar and to a young Sith anything seemed possible. He felt a sharp pang of longing for those days when his ascension had been lightning-fast and it seemed every enemy that rose against him could be surpassed and conquered through sheer power and determination. He almost got lost on his nostalgia trip until Imperious spoke.

"Is he not everything I claimed, my lord?"

"Indeed." Nox said, bringing his attention back to the present. "He reminds me of myself at his age."

"A high compliment coming from you my lord." Imperious said. Suddenly, the young King's attention was drawn to the entrance of the hall, where a middle-aged woman Nox recognized as Lady Rist, the head of Alderaan's noble house of assassins, stood surveying the party, almost as if looking for someone. "Excuse me my lords," Imperious said to Nox and Skade as he stood to his feet, "but my special guest has arrived." Nox nodded in acknowledgement of his departure, and the young king set off at a somewhat hurried pace towards the older woman across the large ballroom. When he was out of earshot, Nox turned to Skade and spoke in a low voice.

"I want you to interrogate that new apprentice, discreetly. Find out as much as you can about his past and personality without tipping your hand."

"Why?" Skade asked. "Do you think he might be useful to us? Or are you looking for leverage over Imperious?"

"There's something about that boy," Nox mused, "I can sense he has a role to play in upcoming events, and I must know what it is. Until then he is a potential threat."

"Understood." Skade said, getting to her feet and moving off in a direction that didn't make it obvious that she was headed for the second floor and balcony above their heads. Nox turned side-saddle in his seat once more and watched the crowds for a long moment. His patience was rewarded when he found the blue-skinned Nautolan slave he was looking for carrying an empty drink tray back to the kitchen. He watched her from across the room as she left the ballroom and headed down the hall, passing through the doorway at the far end. Having located his quarry, Nox stood to his feet, straightened his fine clothes, and began to saunter over to a group of noblemen discussing matters of state. The time to make his move wasn't yet, but it would come soon enough.

Kayle watched from under the shadow of his hood as the Dark Lord emerged from under the balcony and walked towards a nearby group of Thul nobles who graciously accepted his self-insertion into the conversation. He was about to turn his attention elsewhere when he felt someone approaching, a Force user. He expanded his awareness; it was a woman, a Togruta. Her tall, voluptuous figure was accented by the slim, fashionable, and brightly-colored dress she wore. Her blue and white headtails were draped with golden jewelry, and her beautiful face was covered by a white tattoo. Kayle caught himself before he allowed her attractiveness to put him off his guard, but despite his best efforts he still couldn't suppress the lust that roared in his veins and thundered in his heart. What he would give for one night with a woman like that…

"Hello." Her voice, melodious as a singing bird and as soft as a downy pillow, entered his ears and slipped into his brain, leaving him dumbstruck. He couldn't respond even if he wanted to. Instead, he forced himself to crush his apprehension and fear and turned his head to look at the woman, doing his best to keep his face cold and detached, praying that his eyes wouldn't give away his weakness. The woman came to the railing beside him and leaned on it, surveying the party, allowing him to survey her.

This close to her, her perfume felt overwhelming, and he was immediately catapulted into a lustful fantasy of their bodies intertwined, their breath coming in short, synchronized gasps, her cries of pleasure- _stop it_! He cursed himself, but she was so close, so tempting… if he wanted to, he could reach out and touch her anywhere he wanted. His eyes travelled over her form hungrily. Even as he cursed himself for being so weak, his body screamed at him to do whatever it took to be with her. Caught between the monster of his own desires and his fear of being manipulated, he found relief in the teachings of his master.

 _Do you really think she cares for you?_

 _No_. He told himself, _she doesn't, she won't, she never will. She's a tool to me, nothing more_.

"House Thul knows how to throw a party." The young woman remarked, turning to him and catching him with her amber gaze. His heart skipped a beat or two and it was a struggle to keep his breath even, a battle that he later realized he lost.

"My master is a man of many talents."He said, turning away from her in what he hoped would come across as aloofness rather than the shyness that it really was. "I hope he will teach me everything he knows some day."

"With your raw talent I wouldn't doubt he will." The woman said. Was she flirting? Should he flirt back? How? What to say to a woman like her? How does one flirt with their superior? Out of the corner of his eye he saw the woman turn around and lean against the railing, her left hand tantalizingly close to his, her chest thrust out from her slightly arched body. The sight brought those highly charged fantasies roaring back, and they barreled full steam through his imagination. His pants began to feel uncomfortably tight, but he barely noticed.

"So tell me," the woman said in a conversational way, "just how did you come to meet Darth Imperious?" The question brought his mind screeching to a halt, and the painful memories of what happened that night replaced the lustful imaginations that had dominated his thoughts. The feeling of not being able to breath, the buzz and hum of dueling lightsabers, an activation hiss, a stunned gasp, a dead Twi'lek girl lying on the ground, the rain soaking the corpse, her blank eyes staring at nothing, her beautiful face frozen. The memories brought with them pain, and the pain brought with it a burning rage. The rage cleansed his mind and body of the hormones that had been surging through it, burning away his lust like a forest fire.

"Excuse me." He said, turning and walking down the hallway behind them at a pace that was probably unnecessarily fast. He made his way through the halls until he found an outdoor balcony overlooking the mountains that surrounded House Thul. He leaned on the rail and let the cool night air clear his head. Grateful to no longer be under that intoxicating vixen's spell, he let his rage and pain fade by mentally reviewing lightsaber drills. He got a few minutes of peace before he heard something that made him jerk his head around half in anger, half in hope.

"Hey." It was the woman, she had followed him. His head was a little clearer now and the part of his mind that wasn't enchanted by her was telling him something was suspicious, but his other brain prevented him from challenging her, and she came out to stand beside him. He noted that this time she didn't come so close, and her body language indicated concern, rather than naked interest.

"I'm sorry about before, I shouldn't have pried like that." Kayle turned away from her and lowered his head.

"No, you weren't in the wrong my lord. I was." The woman laughed, the sound made him catch his breath, it sounded like the most beautiful music he had ever heard, and once again his lust seized the advantage in his internal struggle.

"Please, call me Skade." She said. "I'm pleased to meet you, uhhh-"

"Kayle." He said, a little too quickly. "My name is Kayle."

"Well Kayle," Skade said, leaning on the railing and once more pushing out her chest by arching her back. "How do you like the life of a Sith apprentice?"

"It's…"Kayle struggled to come up with a comprehensible answer while his eyes darted between her face and various parts of her body, "a learning experience. There is so much about the Force the Jedi didn't teach me, and my master has been opening my eyes to new truths and facets of the Force since day one."

"Oh, you were a Jedi?" The woman seemed especially interested now. "Did you know I was once a Jedi too?"

"YOU WERE?!" Kayle shouted. He quickly realized his reaction was a little over the top, but Skade threw back her head and laughed, catapulting him into a lustful bliss.

"Yes, just as your master enlightened you, my master enlightened me."

"How did it happen?" Kayle asked in genuine interest.

"Well, he killed my former masters after I betrayed him." Kayle's shocked confusion must have shown on his face, because Skade giggled when she looked at him. "Yes there is more to that story, it all started when I was ambushed by a group of Sith assassins…"

* * *

Nox excused himself from his third conversation in the past ten minutes and began ambling towards one of the nearby hallways. Once out of sight of the ballroom, he quickened his pace and began to walk with hasteful purpose. After several turns he found himself in a long hallway near a door that led directly into the kitchen. He waited beside the door, knowing his quarry would be exiting via this doorway in the next few minutes. When she approached the door, he felt it through the Force, and readied himself to strike. She opened the door and stepped through, and in a flash of Force-assisted speed, he was on her.

He swept her up in his embrace and pulled her to the side, stifling her gasp of shock with one hand while the other wrapped around her waist. Her eyes were wide with surprise and fear until she saw his face and the broad, toothy smile on his features, and she visibly relaxed. He took his hand off of her mouth.

"My lord, you terrified me!" She exclaimed, her breath still coming in short gasps, her chest heaving. Nox pulled her closer, pressing her form against his.

"Are you saying I'm exhilarating?" He teased suggestively. She giggled.

"Yes, that too."

"Just how excited are you right now?"

"Very." She said in a naughty tone. Nox raised an eyebrow, and his free hand began tracing its way down her body.

"Perhaps I should determine for myself how excited you are." He said in a low, breathy voice.

"Please, feel free to inspect me, master." She whispered back in kind. When Nox's digits reached their goal, she shuddered and a soft moan escaped her lips. Having confirmed the truth of her excited state, Nox smiled.

"Go to room 7193 at half past midnight," he said, looking her in the eye, "Your services will be required."

* * *

Master Jay-Li was taken by surprise when the uniformed, helmet-less image of Supreme Commander Maxxor materialized over the holo-projector in the center of the Jedi Council Chambers, which were empty except for him. Despite the Supreme Commander's horribly scarred visage, and the fact that he was interrupting his mediation, Jay was as calm as one would expect the Jedi Grandmaster to be.

"What can I do for you Supreme Commander?"

"Sorry to call on you so suddenly, Grandmaster," The big man replied, "but the situation demands it." Jay got a small tingling sensation in the back of his skull that ran down his spine, as the Force whispered to him of darkness approaching.

"What has happened Commander?"

"34 hours ago, the Deadalus-class cruiser _The Star of Hope_ was dispatched on a top-secret mission to the Exos system. Their orders were to maintain complete radio silence except to report mission success or failure."

"And?"

"They signaled a catastrophic mission failure roughly an hour ago."

"Do you have a holorecording?" Maxxor shook his head.

"No. Communication was automated, encrypted text only for security reasons."

"So you want me to investigate?"

"Yes. Normally I would just dispatch a stealth team to recon their last known location and follow up on any leads, but something feels off about this whole thing. I've got a bad feeling in my gut that something bigger is going on, and my experience in Special Forces taught me to always trust my instincts."

"I've been experiencing premonitions of danger since just before you called, Commander." Jay admitted.

"I knew it." Maxxor said, "I smelled something fishy the moment I got that report. This has to do with the Sith doesn't it?"

"Quite frankly Commander, I don't know." Jay replied. "Part of me suspects there are other forces in play here."

"That's the last thing we need," The Commander groaned. "more enemies."

"Send me the information," Jay said, "and I'll investigate personally." Maxxor looked shocked.

"You don't have to do that Grandmaster, I just wanted a Jedi on the case!"

"And you shall have one." Jay replied with a pleasant smile.

* * *

The blue of hyperspace gave way to the black void of realspace as _The Beacon_ entered the Exos system. Jay set the ship to scan for _The Star of Hope_ while he relaxed in the captain's chair and reached out into the realm of the Force. He was staggered by the influx of Dark Side energy, the echoes of pain, fear, and death that still inhabited this area like spirits of the dead. The console beeped loudly to let him know the scanners had found his target. He set the ship on a course for the indicated destination, and allowed himself to dwell on the nature of the corruption he sensed here.

There was darkness, fear, hate, and something else; a cold, empty void reminiscent of deep, dark cave. Images and sensations flashed through Jay's mind that almost made him shudder in horror, fear, and disgust, but he recited the Code and focused his mind on the light within him. As he neared the place where the scan indicated the ship was the feelings grew stronger, like a stench emanating from a corpse.

The _Star of Hope_ was adrift. Nothing looked wrong with it, other than that it was seemingly without power. Jay scanned the ship again and found several docking clamps with localized power sources. He used one of them to dock his ship and entered through the airlock.

The inside of the ship was pressurized and with full life support, but everything else, including interior lighting, was off. Jay drew and activated a single blade of his lightsaber, using its light to guide him as he made his way through the dark corridors. There were no closed doors, no evidence of lockdown procedures having been initiated, just an eerily dark and quiet ship, as quiet as the grave. It wasn't until several minutes into his trek that he came across the bodies.

Strewn about a room that didn't have any signs of a battle were the corpses of three crewmen, two men and one woman. They all seemed to have gone down without a real struggle, simply collapsing where they were. That is until Jay rolled one of the men over and discovered a vibroknife wound in his back. Although how a simple vibroknife wound to the spine could kill instantly instead of merely paralyzing the victim was beyond Jay, it was still an indication of armed assault.

About four rooms and sixteen bodies later, Jay found the first victim killed by a lightsaber. The victim had been beheaded, likely from behind as the headless body was slumped over a console. Several others had been impaled or incapacitated in similarly lethal ways. By the time he made it to the bridge, Jay had accounted for most of the crew and confirmed that there were no other living beings on the ship. The bridge wasn't at all dissimilar to the rest of the ship, although here there were some more indications of struggle. Some of the victims looked like they had managed to put an actual fight, but in the end they had ended up much the same as their fellows. Jay caught a glimpse of something dark on the floor when he reached the captain's platform and when he used his lightsaber to reveal it, a chill ran down his spine.

Painted on the floor was the symbol of a large, black skull.

* * *

The tall, broad-shouldered Sith Pureblood walked confidently down the hall that lead to Darth Aruk's office. He was the very picture of peak physical prowess for his species. His huge muscles rippled and bulged as he moved, and his exposed chest gave the image of a solid wall of red flesh. His seemingly impractical armor was more decorative than anything else. His confidence in his abilities was such that he saw no need for real armor.

What armor he did have covered him from the waist down, and only parts such as his shins or feet were protected by cortosis. This prevented opponents from attacking him dishonorably and instead compelled them to attack his upper body, which they always believed to be vulnerable merely because it was exposed. This error in judgment often created realizations that birthed amusing expressions after he defeated them. He typically didn't allow them to dwell on their failure for too long though, he wasn't a sadist. He merely enjoyed seeing inferior beings realize their insignificance.

Reaching Darth Aruk's office, he entered to find the Sith Lord standing with his back to him, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the city below.

"You sent for me?"

"That I did, Darth Gravuk."

"What do you require me for my lord?" Aruk said nothing for a moment, then spoke up just as Gravuk was about to.

"As of late I've been hearing whispers of a group of unstoppable assassins known as the Reapers operating within Imperial territory. It is said they move like ghosts and worship some kind of ancient death god." He turned to face Gravuk. "My sources have not only confirmed the existence of this group, but informed me that the large majority of them were recruited from Sith and Imperial forces." He took a few steps forward as he continued speaking. "I want you to find out everything you can about this cult, then wipe them from the face of the galaxy. Demonstrate what happens to those who worship any god other than the Emperor." Gravuk bowed his head slightly.

"It will be done my lord." Aruk turned and walked back to the window, resuming his watch of the city.

"Go. Do as I have commanded. Do not return until you have something of value to report." Gravuk turned and left the room, leaving Aruk alone with his thoughts. As he strode down the corridor, he felt a hand grasp his arm. He whirled, his free hand instinctively reaching for his lightsaber, until he saw the face of his wife, Darth Sekkis, in the shadows.

"Well?" She asked with her usual haughty arrogance, her thick Imperial accent not helping matters. "What did he say?"

"He gave me a new task." Gravuk said. "I'm to investigate a traitorous cult and destroy them."

"Really?" Sekkis asked, sidling up to him, her voice growing softer "is that all?" Most men might have been distracted by the feeling of her voluptuous body against theirs; she was used to inspiring lust everywhere she went. It was only natural that inferior beings would desire a crimson-skinned goddess such as her after all, but Gravuk was not most men, not in any sense of the word.

"Yes." He said, unmoved by her seductive advances. "Send word through your network of spies and informants. I need any information I can get on the Reapers."

"That won't be a problem but, you have to do something for me." Sekkis nearly whispered, her eyes twinkling with desire. The look vanished when Gravuk's open palm smacked her across the face, sending her reeling back a few steps with one hand on her cheek. Her shocked expression vanished as quickly as it had come, and she lowered her hand as Gravuk leaned forward, jabbing a finger in her face.

"You will do whatever I tell you to Sekkis." He snarled. "I owe you nothing, you are MINE! Or did you forget?"

"No." She said, her voice cold.

"Good." Gravuk said, and moved off, Sekkis watching him go as lust and hatred mingled in her crimson eyes.

* * *

There was a thunderous boom as the small fleet of Imperial warships emerged from hyperspace near the Jedi Vault World of Colvari. The Republic fleet posted as a guard didn't even have a chance to react before the Imperials opened fire. Fighters from both fleets were dispatched, and the battle was joined.

On the bridge of the _Starblade_ , Darth Raze stood watching the battle and listening to the shouted reports coming from the various bridge personnel.

"The enemy's forces are diverging." Called one crewman. "Their auxiliary forces are moving to intercept our flanking attack."

"My lord, we're being harassed on the port side by several squadrons of fighters." Another chimed in. "They've damaged two of our turbolaser batteries!"

"I want fighter squads Dax, Ferrus, and Telmarr on those corvettes!" Raze barked. He turned to the second crewmember, "Divert power to the flak cannons, blast those Republic dogs out of the sky!"

On the Starblade's port side, several weapon emplacements rotated and lifted their nozzles towards the squads of fighters that were peeling off for another bombing run. In a flurry of motion they rained blaster fire down on the offending ships, causing a sizable number of them to explode. Because of their formation, very little damage was inflicted upon their surviving comrades, but the deadly accuracy of the Starblade's weapon systems had rendered more than a third of the fighters useless.

On the front lines, Imperial fighters harried and flew circles around the Republic fleet's corvettes. They ganged up on them in groups of five or six, and quickly disabled their weapons, followed by their shield generators. By the time the remaining corvettes were within range of the flanking party from Raze's fleet, there were only four of them left. The three Imperial corvettes and _Gage_ -class transports made short work of them, overpowering them with numbers and firepower, moving forward to flank the faltering Republic fleet.

"Sir, we have incoming!" An ensign reported, just as a new fleet appeared from hyperspace a little farther out.

"Get me the commander of that fleet." Raze demanded.

"They're already hailing us sir." The ensign replied.

"Very well, put them on the holo." Raze said, turning to face the hexagonal table next to him.

The image that sputtered to life was that of a petite, feminine Twi'lek woman. Her body and face were covered in Sith tattoos, and her looks could have easily made her a fortune on the stripper pole or the Holonet, but the look in her eyes was pure, unadulterated bloodthirst.

"Darth Raze," the woman said with a hint of scorn, "I wasn't expecting you to poke your ugly mask out of hiding so soon."

"Darth Kraliss," Raze replied distastefully. "If you have nothing to offer but insults I have a battle to win." He stretched his hand out towards the console as if to terminate the connection.

"What I have is a wager." Kraliss replied with a toothy grin. The smile revealed her teeth had been filed to sharp points, granting her a more predatory image. "I reckon I can destroy more of the remaining Republic fleet than you can. If I win, I get first choice of the spoils."

"And if I win, I claim Colvari's secrets." Raze replied evenly. "I'll take your bet, Kraliss." The red-skinned Twi'lek smiled, revealing her sharp fangs again.

"I suspected you might." The connection terminated. Not more than a few minutes later, one of the bridge crew approached him and whispered in his pointed ear.

"My lord, we've detected a stealth shuttle leaving the capital ship of Kraliss's fleet."

"Thank you, lieutenant." Raze acknowledged her with a nod of his head, and she returned to her station. _That blasted siren_. Raze thought to himself, Kraliss had attempted to dupe him. By making that wager she had hoped to get him focused on the fleet battle while she slipped away, past the now crumbling Republic blockade and landed on the surface to steal whatever she could take with her. Turning to go, Raze resolved that she would see none of Colvari's spoils as punishment for that little maneuver.

"Harkanous!" He bellowed, "Take command." He opened the commlink to the hanger dispatcher. "Prepare my shuttle, I'll be there in a few minutes."

* * *

Jay-Li paced back and forth across one of the Jedi Temple's healing rooms. His vigil was interrupted by the appearance of Calphayus in the doorway, flanked by two armed Jedi Knights.

"You sent for me, Grandmaster?"

"Yes." Jay replied moving towards him and sliding an arm around his shoulders. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he guided Calphayus deeper into the chamber. The escorts took up positions on either side of the doorway.

"To tell you the truth the night terrors haven't stopped," Calphayus said ruefully. "but that's to be expected when your mind has been linked to five horrible monsters for three centuries. I'm just thankful to still be alive."

"And you still remember nothing of how your former captors were killed?" Calphayus shook his head.

"No. Maybe it's because I subconsciously don't want to remember, but there are a lot of gaps in my memory. Our bodies were not meant to live for centuries Master Kenobi. I can't remember whole decades of my life let alone what happened months ago." Jay nodded in an understanding way.

"All the same, the more you can remember the better equipped we will be to deal with such things in the future." Calphayus looked at him askance.

"Is this the only reason you called me, Master Kenobi?" He asked sincerely. "To check up on me?" Jay shook his head.

"No." He admitted. "I need your help Calphayus."

"How can I be of use?" Calphayus asked with cautious enthusiasm.

"There is a great veil of darkness obscuring the future." Jay said solemnly. "I've tried my best to pierce it, but I've failed every time."

"Ahh, and given my precognitive abilities you thought I might be able to help you to some effect." Calphayus said knowingly. "I don't blame you Master Kenobi but you must understand, I just escaped the dark, I'm not so eager to confront it again."

"I understand." Jay reassured him. "But this concerns the fate of the entire galaxy Calphayus. I wouldn't ask otherwise." He placed a hand on Calphayus's shoulder, "the moment it becomes too much for you we will stop." Calphayus seemed conflicted, but eventually he hung his head and sighed.

"Alright, let's try it. But the moment anything goes wrong, we pull back, understood?" Jay smiled kindly.

"Absolutely. Your safety is paramount."

"It's not me I'm worried for." Calphayus muttered ominously, sinking to the floor and entering a cross-legged meditating position. Jay lowered himself to the floor across from him, and opened his mind to the Force. The warm, golden waves of energy crashed over him, and he felt the familiar comfort of a child in its parent's embrace. The empathic connection between his mind and Calphayus's opened and thoughts and sensations began to flow freely between them. As the connection firmed and stabilized, Jay directed Calphayus's thoughts towards the future. The world around them began to fade away, like a painting melting off its canvas. They soon found themselves in the realm of the Force, and they set off together towards the future.

They had not travelled long when they encountered dark currents of foul intent. Jay found himself struggling not to be swept away by the overwhelming tide of malice and hatred, steeling himself against the dark undertow. Looking up, he perceived Calphayus navigating the dark currents like he had been born in them. He tried to reach out, but he couldn't reach Calphayus through the malevolent storm.

Suddenly, he found himself cast back into his body, laying flat on the floor as if he had been thrown back. He heard Calphayus's voice repeating a steady, rhythmic chant, and once he gathered his scattered wits and cleared his head, he realized what the former Dread Master was saying.

"When Fear flees and Death dies, Darkness will consume the galaxy. When Fear flees and Death dies, Darkness will consume the galaxy. When Fear flees and Death dies…"

"Calphayus!" Jay-Li shouted, rushing to the former Dread Master and shaking him like he was trying to wake a sleeper from a dream. "Calphayus, can you hear me? Snap out of it!" The former Dread Master simply continued repeating the phrase mindlessly, his head thrown back, his body rigid and stiff, his eyes glowing a sinister yellow.

The Dark Side permeated the room, and Jay-Li wondered why Calphayus's guards weren't rushing in to help him. He looked over Calphayus's shoulder and saw his answer.

The two Jedi knights had been thrown against the wall by some powerful force that had ripped through their defenses like they didn't even exist and been knocked unconscious. They lay sprawled against the wall on either side of the doorway. In that moment Jay understood what had happened. An explosion of dark energy must have been released from Calphayus here in the material world, sending Jay sprawling and knocking out the two Jedi guards at the door. Jay's Force defenses were considerably stronger and more developed than theirs, which explained why he had only been knocked over while they had been sent flying.

Calphayus continued to repeat the arcane phrase over and over, his eyes glowing as he stared up at the ceiling. Jay quickly realized he was the only one capable of saving Calphayus, and he thought he knew just how to do it.

Reaching out with his mind, he followed his instincts and felt the Force surge within him, travelling down his outstretched arms and bursting from his hands in a golden glow that surrounded Calphayus like a shield. Jay felt a piece of himself leave him and wrap itself around the trapped Dread Master, the light of the Force cleansing every impurity within the shield. Calphayus's chanting stopped and the darkness began to evaporate off of him. The glow faded from his eyes and his head fell to rest on his chest as he fell backward. Jay darted forward and caught him before he hit the floor. He looked for all the world like he was asleep, and Jay found it hard to believe that such a being had once been an arbiter of terror and death. He looked so small and fragile, he could have easily been somebody's grandfather.

Jay laid him down onto the floor gently, watching the unconscious man as his chest rose and fell. _This is why I do it_. He told himself. _To give people like Calphayus another chance. Anyone else might have seen him as a threat and ended his life, condemning him to a lost eternity in the grip of the Dark Side, but I show mercy to give people like him a second chance. Everyone is just varying degrees of broken, but enough love and compassion, when applied with wisdom and care, can heal even the most broken soul._

Jay got up to check that the fallen knights were still breathing, when he confirmed they were both bruised but alive, he woke them with the Force and instructed them to take Calphayus back to his room and see to it he was not disturbed for at least a day and that he wanted for nothing. As the two men gently carried Calphayus away, Jay's thoughts flew back to the chant the former Sith had repeated.

 _When Fear flees and Death dies, Darkness will consume the galaxy._

He got an eerie and persistent sense of foreboding when he considered what it might mean.

* * *

Servant Three sat in the captain's chair of his new starship, staring out at the void outside the viewport in contemplation. He still hadn't been able to get the bloodstains out of the sheets, he would have to steal some new ones at wherever he stopped next. Sleeping in the same bed where you had killed a woman in her sleep was difficult enough without the daily reminder.

Things had gone over particularly well since he had left his post three months ago. No doubt the rest of the Hand knew by now, and One was likely furious. If the Emperor was ever to return Three would no doubt face judgment, but he had long ago decided he didn't care. He'd rather die than live on as some twisted gargoyle guarding his master's treasure, and if he acquired the secrets he was chasing, it was entirely possible not even the Emperor himself could defeat Three if he were able to find him.

 _The secret to absolute power over death._

That was what the holocron he had discovered in the Emperor's library had said Darth Nekros had been searching for before he mysteriously vanished. Studying the Emperor's notes on the holocron, he had found that his former master had not discovered anything more than the holocron contained, and simply written Nekros off as yet another Golden Age Sith Lord who had fallen victim to his own ambitions in seeking secrets of the Force, eldritch powers, and eternal life.

Three was not so sure. In studying galactic history, he had discovered several clues that Nekros survived past the point where his holocron had been discovered, and he believed Nekros had left it where it could be found, so that those who were worthy of such power might follow.

Leaning over, he keyed in a course for his next stop. He had just enough fuel to make the trip, so he would have to get more upon his arrival. That wouldn't be a problem for a mere apprentice, let alone a Sith who knew almost everything there was to know about the Dark Side. The black void of space faded and was replaced with the blue streaks of hyperspace, and Three's ship vanished in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Lord Hargrev walked slowly across the camp, observing as the men and women around him bustled about, moving crates, filling out paperwork, checking and cleaning weapons, and generally carried on with their assigned duties. It had been more than a few months since the defeat of the Dread Masters at the hands of Darth Nox, and exactly how the Dark Lord had accomplished such a feat of power still eluded Hargrev. It certainly terrified him though. The thought that the Dread Masters, the Emperor's most ancient and trusted advisors and prophets, could fall to a single lord of the Dark Council, made him nervous to say the least.

Nox had never spoken about how he had defeated the Dread Masters, and he had never needed to offer any proof of his victory. Hargrev had felt them die through the Force the moment it happened, every Force-sensitive in the galaxy had. But if Nox possessed such power, why would he not simply take over the Dark Council? _Perhaps he fears the Emperor_ , Hargrev thought to himself, _like we all do._ Hargrev's attention was drawn to the eastern sky, where an Imperial shuttle was on an approach vector headed straight for the camp. He hurried down to the landing platform and got there just as the shuttle was setting down. He waited patiently with his hands clasped behind his back while the hatch opened and the boarding ramp extended to touch Oriconian soil. A band of heavily armed Imperial Troopers marched out in single file and approached him, the leader stopping directly in front of him.

"Officer Dumal, Imperial Reclamation Service Black Squad Delta." The armoured trooper said in a crisp tone. "We're here to execute a lawful seizure of operations." Hargrev was taken aback,

"On who's authority trooper?"

The man wordlessly took a holo-transmitter from his belt and activated it, playing back a recording. The image of Darth Nox appeared, and for a moment Hargrev barely recognized him. Nox was clad in his newest set of armoured robes, the design for which had been procured from Rakatan records in the Dread Palace as well as several other places across the galaxy. The robes were covered in a rubbery, synthetic material created by a combination of Sith Alchemy and advanced technology. The recipe for the material had also been found in the Dread Palace, and testing had shown it to not only be flexible and capable of absorbing some of the kinetic energy of physical blows, but that it was also capable of resisting lightsabers and blaster bolts with effectiveness close to solid cortosis.

There were actual cortosis armor plates on several vulnerable places, such as the wrists and back of the hands, as well as on the shoulders, to prevent the wearer from being disarmed. Sitting atop the whole ensemble was a ghastly helm with twisted and stretched features. It had four small eye lenses instead of two, making it seem like a weird, inhuman visage sat behind that horrible mask, but in actuality the second pair of lenses were positioned to give the wearer a wider range of vision as well as confuse and perhaps intimidate the enemy. The helm itself resembled a creature with horns that jutted out from either side of its head and then curved downward at the tips. On the part of the mask where the mouth would be there was four circular breathing vents that cycled and filtered air, allowing the wearer to breathe in all but the most toxic environments.

Simply put, the armor was an ancient relic of the Rakata, with a slightly different version supposedly worn by their warlords in the far distant past. It had been designed for both practicality and to strike fear into hearts of friend and foe alike, and it was only one of the many trophies Nox had acquired from the Dread Palace over the past months.

"I am Darth Nox of the Dark Council, and as of this moment, in accordance with Imperial Regulation 209BH-67YT4, Article 27X, Chapter 13 of the Imperial Law and Penal Code, I am authorizing the lawful seizure of this operation."

The recording ended, and the trooper deactivated the holo-transmitter and returned it to his belt.

"We'll be unloading our equipment over the next few hours, secondary personnel are to begin preparing to depart the planet. You and all other primary personnel will be remaining here for the next couple of weeks to help ease the transition." Utterly stunned, all Hargrev could think to say was,

"Yes…yes I'll pass the orders along to the crew."

* * *

Nox fell back in the pillow, panting. Veeroa fell beside him, looking at him with her glassy black eyes and a big smile on her face.

"That was amazing." Nox said enthusiastically. "I didn't know Nautolans could bend like that."

"It is-how you say-a talent." Veeroa said, smirking mischievously. "I have not met very many who could." Nox smiled back.

"Just when I thought you couldn't be any more enticing." He said, rolling over and pulling her close to him for a kiss. Their flesh pressed against each other's as their lips met in a passionate embrace. Nox pulled back after a moment, and Veeroa's face fell.

"I will miss you when you leave." She pouted, running her fingers down his chest.

"You don't have anyone else to play with?" Nox inquired, half-joking. She shook her head.

"Nobody like you, my lord." She replied, smiling up at him.

"Ahh." Nox said, a small smile breaking across his face now. "Well that won't be a problem for much longer." Veeroa's look of hopeful surprise turned his smile into a grin, and he leaned over to the nightstand and opened the drawer. Grabbing the small piece of metal inside, he brought it around and handed it to Veeroa. Her already enourmous eyes seemed to grow wider when she saw it.

"This is…" Her voice trailed off in disbelief.

"It's your new ownership tags." Nox said. "Read the owner ID."

"Darth Nox." Veeroa said, still stunned at the revelation. "My lord I…I don't know what to say! I'm so happy!" She threw herself onto him, hugging and kissing him enthusiastically. When she finally let him breathe, he laughed.

"But that's not all." Veeroa's expression grew even more shocked.

"My lord, you really mustn't spoil me." She protested half-heartedly. Nox laughed again.

"It isn't really spoiling you." At her look of confusion he reached into the nightstand drawer again and this time drew out a sheet of flimsiplast with an official-looking seal stamped on it.

"What is it?" Veeroa asked excitedly.

"It's your certificate of entrance to the Sith Academy on Korriban." Veeroa gasped, covering her mouth and trying to disguise the fear that threatened to creep across her face.

"Don't worry." Nox reassured her. "You are not going in there unprepared. We still have two months until you are due at the academy. I will use that time to train you and give you a few tricks to help you survive."

"How long have you known my lord?" Veeroa asked, struggling to keep her voice from trembling.

"I suspected since the day I first met you." Nox said, "but the past few weeks have confirmed my suspicions." Noticing Veeroa was trembling, his voice took on a much more soothing tone. "Come now love," he whispered, reaching up and pulling her down onto him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her gently. "There's no need to be afraid, I am with you." Her apprehension melted under his touch, her trembling turned to shudders as he ran his hands over her body, and small moans began to escape her lips.

The two lovers rolled over, wrapped in each other's embrace, with the only witness to their union being the cool night breeze that blew in from the open balcony, and the watchful moon standing silent vigil over Alderaan.

* * *

Xalek bisected the Jedi, leaving the two halves to tumble to the floor. He stood up and surveyed his handiwork. The foyer of the artifact vault was littered with the bodies of Jedi and Republic soldiers alike, all in various states of disassembly. Just then he felt a dark presence as bloodthirsty as his own fall over him, and he turned to see Darth Kraliss standing there, her form-fitting outfit clinging to her crimson skin, her tattooed Lekku twitching with anger and unsatiated desire.

"Darth Raze." The Lethan Twi'lek hissed, showing her sharp, pointed teeth.

"Darth Kraliss." Xalek said, falling back into a defensive stance with his saberstaff leveled in front of him. They stood there like that, staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Kraliss moved first. She sprang from her place with feline agility and speed, her lightsabers flying from her belt to her hands and activating in the space of an instant, their red blades clashing with his violet one.

Their eyes met and Xalek was captivated by the storm of emotions he could sense in her and the intensity in her eyes. But the clash only lasted a moment and before Xalek could even react she had darted back and then dashed in again from a different angle, moving with agility and speed that was astonishing even for a Force user of her power. Xalek barely had time to dodge her first blade before the second one nearly took his hand off. He only managed to deflect it because he knew the attack was coming, but even so his opponent's speed was nearly overwhelming compared to his precognitive reflexes.

Kraliss danced away, moving with the all the grace and fluidity of a Twi'lek dancer, the raw sensuousness of her movements proving a dangerous distraction when her next series of blindingly-fast assaults damaged his armor and forced him to call upon the Force to shield him from her whirlwind barrage of strikes and counter-parries. Her accuracy drove her offhand saber directly towards his exposed left shoulder and despite his attempts to dodge it she managed to leave a singed scar that burned through his cortosis-fiber robes and flooded his brain with a fiery burst of pain.

He welcomed it, for with the pain came rage, and with the rage came power. Her next assault was parried by a series of defensive maneuvers every bit as furious as her own attacks, and when she didn't quite recover her balance quickly enough, Xalek pressed the advantage, punishing her with a combination of heavy power strikes on her meager defenses and Force assaults of lightning and dark power that sapped her vitality and energy.

Kraliss backflipped to put some distance between her and the enraged avenger that was ravaging her defenses, but there was no stopping her opponent now. Xalek charged forward, not giving her time to recover. She flitted out of the way of his brutish attack and went in for a strike from the side, but Xalek was ready for her. In a feat of dexterity she had no doubt thought him incapable of he whirled to meet her attack with the spinning blades of his saberstaff in a explosive parry that disarmed her of both her blades, sending the now de-activated hilts clattering to the floor on the other side of the room. Xalek reared back and delivered a swift kick to the smaller Twi'lek's chest, knocking the wind out of her and sending her sprawling. In moments his foot was firmly on her chest with his full body weight on it. She squirmed, struggling to breathe until his blade hovered in front of her face. She stopped moving, but the hate in her eyes was palpable in the air around them.

"I win." Xalek said, his triumphant smile hidden behind his bone mask, but apparent in his tone.

"Then do it." Kraliss hissed. Xalek paused for a brief moment, actually considering it.

"No." He said finally. "I claim your blades and the spoils of this world by right of combat, but permit you to leave with your life." With the Force he drew her lightsabers to his other waiting hand and fastened them firmly to his belt before he took his foot off of her, letting her breathe easy and get to her feet. She glowered at him with such vehement hatred he almost thought she was Darth Salis for a moment.

"You will regret your cowardess." She snarled, hurling the insult at him with vicious abandon. Xalek glowered back.

"The next time I see you, I will make you regret those words." With a flick of his wrist he buffeted her with a Force blow, sending her reeling back. She snarled and for a moment it looked like she might attack him, but remembering that she was now unarmed against a foe that was at least her equal, she made the smarter decision and fled. Xalek activated his comm bead.

"Commander, I've secured the vault. Once the orbital battle is finished dispatch a reclamation team to assist me in recovering the spoils." The voice of commander Harkanous came over the comm in response.

"As you command, Darth Raze."

* * *

Darth Nox strode through the halls of the Citadel, heading towards his office. His recent trip to Alderaan had been successful on all fronts. He had helped Imperious gain the loyalty and respect of House Thul and her subjects, and Veeroa was already on a shuttle to one of his outposts on the galactic outskirts, where he could provide her with the basic Force training needed to make her a shoo-in candidate on Korriban.

He wasn't so concerned with circumventing the rules and traditions that had dictated the training of Sith acolytes for eons. He didn't intend for Veeroa to be anything more than a plaything. Her Force potential made her useful certainly, and now that she had been shaped and molded to love and need him her loyalty would prove valuable, but in the end she was little more than another "toy" he was adding to his "collection".

Skade had also proved her usefulness on Alderaan, managing to not only coax a wealth of information out of Imperious's new apprentice, but also establish a bond with boy based on their similar backgrounds and the fact that the poor sap was hopelessly infatuated with Skade.

"My lord." The sergeant on guard duty saluted as he approached. Nox looked at the man askance.

"What is it sergeant?" He asked. It was unusual for a mere guard to address him without permission unless there was a matter of importance at hand, or a message to be conveyed.

"A lord came by a while ago, left a message on your desk."

"And you just let them in?" Nox asked, his fury threatening to bubble forth.

"They had the seal of Darth Mortis my lord." The sergeant said hastily. "I made it clear he couldn't enter as you were away, and he showed me the seal on the document. It was genuine, I swear!" Nox felt his ire fade, but only by a little. It wasn't the man's fault, whatever Sith had the gall to leave him a personal message in document form would likely have killed the man if he had refused to allow him entry. Still, such…discourteous behavior demanded recompense. Most Sith would have exacted this on the guard as "motivation" for any guarding their chambers to throw away their lives against Sith intruders, but Nox saw no reason to encourage suicidal behavior in the Empire's finest out of some vain need to protect his personal spaces. Most of his possessions of any real importance were spread out across the galaxy and holonet, his office mostly contained distractions and trinkets, other than the technology and devices he needed to command his Sphere from a central location. All the same, he would have to have a thorough bug sweep done.

"Very well," he acquiesced, to the sergeant's visible relief. "carry on, sergeant. This time if anyone comes calling tell them I'm in, but they need an appointment. If they decline to arrange one, make some noise and I'll deal with it personally."

"Yes my lord!" The Sergeant barked, stiffening to attention as Nox walked past him into the hallway leading to his office.

Upon reaching his desk, he saw the document, its seal of approval clearly placed by the signature. Darth Mortis had read, signed, and stamped this document personally. Nox took his seat and started reading, skipping past the header and the formalities to get to the meat of the declaration.

 _In response to Councilor Nox's application formally demanding the surrender of objects V20X56I and F4TO22L6 into the custody of the Imperial Reclamation Service by order of Article 7, paragraph 15 of subsection 9 of the Imperial code of Lawful Search and Seizure, the request is formally denied._

 _The Imperial Court asserts that the applicant has no legal or ancestral right to the artifacts claimed. Thus, in accordance with Article 10, paragraph 4 of subsection 9 of the Imperial code of Lawful Search and Seizure, the applicant is denied the right to take possession of the artifacts under Imperial Law._

Setting the paper down, Nox leaned back in his chair, disappointment, anger, frustration, and hatred all mingling in him as he seethed at the refusal. The laws quoted were irrelevant. The Empire was a bureaucracy where the law was concerned. The entire purpose of the law was to allow the Empire's leaders to prosecute, arrest, torture, or outright murder anyone underneath them for any reason. When it came to disputes over property between equals, such as was the case here, the courts usually sided with whomever it would benefit them more to do so. In the case of two members of the Dark Council disputing who had claim to the artifacts recently discovered on Setmus Prime, Mortis himself had been required to preside over the case. It seemed he had sided with Aruk, rather than Nox.

The artifacts in question were nothing entirely special. They weren't exceptionally powerful or useful to your average Sith, let alone Aruk, but the man had claim to them by right of birth. The artifacts had belonged to some ancestor of his back during the Golden Age, at which point they had been recorded as lost during the Great Hyperspace War. Their recent discovery had not been accomplished by the Reclamation Service, but rather by the planetary government while performing some necessary excavation to expand the planetary capital. Aruk had got to them first, but shown nowhere near the same interest in them until Nox had tried to claim them, resulting in a minor feud erupting between the two over who had the right to claim them. Apparently Mortis had decided to give them to Aruk instead of Nox.

This wouldn't do. Nox needed those artifacts for his research on Oricon. While not exceptionally powerful, they were likely to provide him with extremely useful insights into the workings of the Dread Fortress and the many sorceries the Dread Masters had employed throughout their centuries-long tenure. While it was unlikely that Aruk understood their full significance, he didn't need to. He knew that Nox wanted them badly, so he was going to do everything in his power to ensure Nox never got his hands on them. This could not continue, Aruk had become a liability. _And its time_ , Nox decided, _that I balance the budget_.

* * *

Gravuk strode confidently down the long hallway lined with sealed torture cells. Now and then he might pass one from which screams of pain and terror emitted, but he paid them no heed. His long strides ate up the ground until he reached his destination, at which point he turned and opened the cell door. Stepping inside, the door closing behind him, he scanned the room.

Everything had been properly prepared. His favored tools sat on a small table, near enough to be on hand during the interrogation, but not so close that a rowdy or resourceful prisoner might be able to reach them. The prisoner himself was bound by shackles to a long, flat table, tilted towards the door, holding the unfortunate being in a spread-eagled pose as if he were an animal to be butchered. That metaphor wasn't entirely inaccurate either.

Gravuk walked around the tablet to which the prisoner was bound, inspecting all the mechanisms, ensuring that his quarry was firmly attached to the table. When he was satisfied, he stopped his circuit in front of the still-masked being and stood silently for a few moments, staring at the thing.

Repeated attempts to remove the skull-like metal helm encapsulating the entity's head had revealed that the helm had actually been welded to the being's flesh. Whether the act had been done against the beings will or simply out of fanatical devotion was unclear, but it hardly mattered. The rest of his soon-to-be victim's body was not similarly interred in an armored exoskeleton, and thus was ripe for his bloody harvest.

"Pay close attention," Gravuk finally spoke, in a low and intimidating voice, "because I will say this only once: Where is your leader?"

"He walks among you." The masked man said, no hint of deception or hesitation, as if he were eager to tell. "He walks among you, and you know him not." A cackle escaped the man's lips, his voice cracking briefly as he reveled in his possession of the secret. Gravuk slammed one thick, heavy palm against the table beside the man's head, startling him, and leaned in close, his voice becoming a snarl, his orange eyes overflowing with hatred.

"Who!" Gravuk snarled, "Who is he!"

"Death." The man said, cackling again, his voice once more breaking as a delirium began to overtake his mind. "Death is here, Death is among us, among you, and soon he will claim what is his!" The man's voice had taken on a reverent, almost rapturous tone, as if he could see visions of the profane god he worshipped.

"What is his name?!" Gravuk demanded. "Where is he?!" The man seemed to be ignoring Gravuk, staring up at something behind the Pureblood's head. When he spoke, his voice was awestruck and delerious.

"Master!" He screamed. "Take me! Take me master! I am ready!" His back suddenly arched and he screamed, causing a startled Gravuk to jerk back as the man convulsed on the table. Suddenly, the violent spasms ceased and the body relaxed, a shuddering last breath escaping the grille of the ghoulish mask. Gravuk approached cautiously, he couldn't sense the man's life force anymore, it was as if his body had simply given up and died. Or, he allowed himself to speculate, as if it had been directly siphoned from him through the Force.

That conclusion made him particularly uncomfortable. It implied that the killer was somewhere in his compound right now. He activated the comm bead in his ear;

"Lock down the complex, ensure no one enters or leaves until a full, level five inspection has been conducted." He closed the comm before the commander on duty could even reply, then turned and walked out of the cell, closing the door behind him before continuing to walk back down the corridor the way he had come.

Whoever had killed the man, he would find them. There was, after all, no way that anyone other than the Emperor himself could use the Force to drain someone of life from across the planet, let alone from lightyears away. Of that, he was certain.


End file.
